


A Very Golden Vacation

by GoldsJRZGirl



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Baby Regal (toddler Regina), F/M, Family Drama, Humor, Romance, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-26
Updated: 2015-01-30
Packaged: 2018-02-27 02:48:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 109,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2676152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldsJRZGirl/pseuds/GoldsJRZGirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Golds and Charmings, including a toddler Regina, take on the Big Apple on a crazy, fun, insane vacation where tempers are tested, laughs ensue, and Manhattan will never be the same! Get ready, dearies, for the vacation of a lifetime! Pairings include Rumbelle, Swanfire, and Snowing. AU mini sequel to The Gold Standard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. On The Road

_Storybrooke, Maine_

_Present day_

_Two months after GS ended:_

It had been decided that after Regina had begun settling in with the Charmings and everyone else in the family, that they all needed a vacation, to get in some bonding time together and so forth. Baelfire had managed to convince Rumple that they needed to visit Manhattan, because it would provide some culture and fun experiences for everyone, and Bae said he'd promised to go somewhere with Alina and Henry after the curse broke and he'd also promised Henry to go and eat New York pizza. "So a family vacation to Manhattan fits the bill, Papa," he told his father one afternoon a week before the end of June. "What do you say?"

Gold just stared at his son. "I say you are certifiable for a nuthouse, Baelfire. You want your family, my family, _and_ the Charmings with Regina to go to Manhattan on vacation?"

"Yeah. Come on, it'll be fun! Aren't you sick of staying in Storybrooke all the time? Now that the curse is broken, you can go wherever you want here."

"And what if I just want to stay here?" Gold asked testily.

"What are you, agoraphobic or something? It's not like Manhattan's the end of the earth," Bae persuaded.

Gold scowled. "Even though I can travel outside Storybrooke, Bae, I don't feel comfortable doing so. Magic is unpredictable in this world and Storybrooke has lots of ley lines and the arcane web here is stronger than it would be in other places . . . like a city, where millions of people using technology and steel and iron block the flow of magical energy."

"What? You're telling me you're afraid to travel because you might not be able to use your magic? Can't you just . . . make something to store some in and take it with you? Like a . . . uh . . . battery pack? Sort of like portable WiFi?"

"I'm not a computer, Baelfire. I'm a magician."

"Yeah, and you're a really clever archmage," his son pointed out. "I'm sure you can figure out something. If you really wanted to."

Gold sighed. "Is this really so important to you?"

Bae nodded. "I think it would be a really great experience for all of us. And I did promise Henry and Alina."

Gold threw up his hands. "Fine! But if something goes wrong on this bloody vacation, I'm free to tell you I told you so."

"Then you'll do it?"

"Didn't I just say I would?"

"We've got a deal then?"

"Yes." He held out a hand.

Bae took it. "Okay. Now let me tell the rest of the family. Then we can figure out the best time to go and book a flight."

"Heaven help us. Manhattan might never be the same. And I might end up in an institution," Gold predicted. But the deal had been struck and he would never break another one with his son.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

Finally all the arrangements were made and a first class round trip ticket was booked for the entire family for June 30th, 2013 from Logan International Airport to JFK International Airport. Rumple had also made arrangements to stay at the Plaza Hotel for a week and a half, and they would leave on a Thursday morning to go back to Maine. With Bae and Emma's help, he had gotten packages of tickets to the Museum of Natural History, the Bronx Zoo, the Empire State building, the Statue of Liberty, Broadway's Beauty and the Beast, and Jekyll and Hyde, a kid friendly restaurant. Bae had an entire itinerary planned out, from a day spent in Chinatown and Little Italy, to a carriage ride in Central Park for Rumple and Belle, and some nights at exclusive New York restaurants for the adults, which they could take turns going to.

While all of that was going on, Rumple had been working on making something he could store some magic in, in case he had trouble accessing the arcane web in the city. He wasn't worried about Emma or the two children, his apprentices had come into their powers in this world, and so had no trouble accessing this world's magical web and lines of energy. But he came from a world where the arcane web was much stronger, and he was used to interacting with it on a far different level and frequency. So it made for difficulties when he tried to use magic outside of Storybrooke, which had an awakened magical web and stronger lines of power than other parts of the country.

It was Alina who had come up with the idea of a pair of cufflinks, since Belle had given him a set of diamond ones to celebrate the breaking of the curse over Storybrooke and his new status as Storybrooke's resident sorcerer and member of the new town council. She was also a member, and Charming had been elected the new mayor in Regina's place.

Most of Storybrooke's citizens were ambivalent about the fact that Regina was now a child, without any memory of her former life, and being raised by David and Mary Margaret, as they were sometimes still known, as their daughter. They seemed relieved to never have to worry about the Evil Queen again, though there were a few problems with some of them who wanted to go back to the Enchanted Forest, but the only way they had of getting back there was Jefferson's hat or trying to grow magical beans. Currently, Jeff had gone back to Fairy Tale Land to find Jack Sparrow and Vasilisa, to see if they could help find a cache of beans or a way to grow more so they could give those who wished to a way to go back to their former home.

So Rumple enchanted the diamond cufflinks to store quite a bit of his power, making them able to be used to give him a magical energy boost whenever he tapped them together, though there was a limit to how many times he could use them before draining them dry. So he would be careful to only use them as necessary.

Belle had taken over the job of packing everything for herself, her husband, and Alina. She had also made arrangements with Archie for him to cat-sit Nala while they were gone, bringing the little cat over to his house on the morning that they were due to leave for the airport. Rumple had taught her how to drive finally, and gotten her a cute sky blue mini Cooper, though they would use the Cadillac to go to the airport.

**Page~*~*~*~Break**

_Charmings loft:_

"Snow, did you pack my razor?" Charming called, as he went through their carryon bags.

"Yes, it's in the luggage, Bae said you can't fly with it in your carryon because of the new FDA regulations since 9/11," his wife called, as she finished packing her toddler's carryon bag, which contained an extra outfit, shoes, some snacks Regina enjoyed, her Leapster Explorer 2 with extra game cartridges, a coloring book, crayons, and some Disney books, a small container of antibacterial soap, tissues and some gum to chew in case her ears hurt when the plane took off. Regina had a purple carryon with her name and address on the tag and the words _Daddy's Little Princess_ in gold letters on the zippered duffle itself.

"Okay, are we all set?" her husband asked.

"Yes, I think so," Snow said. "I just have to call Rumple and let him know we'll be at his house in about ten minutes. Did you call Marco and remind him that he's in charge along with the rest of the town council until we come home?"

"Did that already, hon," David reassured her.

"Daddy, can I bring Sofia with me?" asked his small daughter, coming up and showing him her ragdoll, which was about seventeen inches tall, with brown string hair and a sewn on face. Sofia was wearing a frilly purple dress and black shoes with laces. Sofia had been a gift to her from her Uncle Rumple, it had been made for her by him, as had the five outfits that came with her, which were made with snaps so Regina could dress and undress the doll herself.

"Yeah, princess," Charming said, smiling at Regina. "And maybe you can show Auntie Belle and Uncle Rumple how you can tie Sofia's shoes now." He had been practicing that with her for two weeks, and the toddler had actually mastered that skill two days ago.

Regina nodded eagerly. She was wearing pink jeans, a white top with pink bows around the collar, light-up purple Reeboks, and a Disney Princess jacket. Snow had combed her dark hair and pulled it back in a ponytail with a sparkly pink ribbon. The three-year-old former Evil Queen had an adorable smirk on her face when she said, "An' I'm gonna drive with Unca Rumple to the airport, right?"

"Yup, since Mommy's car is in the shop getting fixed and you can't fit with us in my truck because there's not enough room for your car seat," David explained to her.

The little girl skipped over to Snow, making her sneakers glow with purple light, and asked, "Mommy, what're you doing?"

"I'm packing your bag for the trip," Snow replied.

Regina knelt to examine the little duffle and pointed to the gold lettering and asked, "What's that say?"

"It says you're Daddy's princess," Snow answered, smiling at her daughter.

Regina giggled and clapped her hands. "Daddy always calls me that."

Snow grinned and asked slyly, "And what does Emma call you?"

"Emma calls me chatterbox."

"And how about Uncle Rumple?"

"Uh . . . Unca Rumple calls me Miss Big Mouth Bossypants," the toddler declared. "Cause I try and tell everybody what to do."

That was certainly true, Snow reflected. Regina, despite the fact that she couldn't recall anything of her former life, still had an outgoing and very opinionated personality. She could be very sweet at times, but she also had a stubborn streak a mile wide and when she got in a mood, could get very loud and insist upon having her own way. Snow and Charming were working with her to correct that fault, though so far they hadn't made a huge impression on her.

Oddly enough, Regina seemed to have less tantrums with Rumple and Belle than she did for anyone save Henry. Charming said it was because Gold knew when to put his foot down and had experience with toddlers. Snow thought it was because even though Regina had no memory of her former life, she still bore a visceral memory of her time as Rumple's apprentice and so she obeyed him . . . mostly. Not that she didn't obey her parents . . . but she also tested her boundaries with them, and Snow had bought many books on parenting a strong-willed child to help her and Charming deal with their daughter. Some of the tactics worked and others didn't. It was a learning process for all of them.

Snow helped David carry all their bags out to his truck and then they all got in to drive the short distance to Gold's Victorian. Regina sat up front with Charming while Snow crouched in the back with the suitcases, a temporary arrangement just till they got to Gold's house. She called Rumple as they were en route to his place and he said they were all packed and waiting for their arrival. Alina was riding with Henry, Bae, and Emma in the Bug, so it would just be himself, Belle, and Regina.

The Charmings pulled up just as Gold was starting up his Cadillac and programming his GPS to get them to the airport. Belle was waiting to greet them as they emerged from the truck, with David carrying Regina and Snow bringing Regina's seat and her bag from the back.

"Hi, sweetie!" Belle said, taking Regina from Charming. "Are you all ready to go on a road trip with me and Uncle Rumple?"

"Yup. An' Mommy says we're goin' on a big plane way up high in the sky," the intrepid toddler said, pointing to the clouds up above.

"That's right," Belle said. She set Regina down and then asked Snow, "Do you need help with anything, Snow?"

"No, I've got this," Snow assured her, just as Charming came and removed the car seat from her grasp and carried it over to the car. "Here's her bag, it has a sippy cup with some juice in it in case she gets thirsty and some Goldfish and her Leapster and—"

"Tranquilizers?" asked Gold, deadpan, as he opened the driver's side of the car and came out. He was dressed in one of his less flashy Armani suits, a subdued silver gray jacket and muted silver and blue tie and his most comfortable pair of black Gucci loafers. His diamond stud cufflinks twinkled upon the cuffs of his navy blue shirt. He had his overcoat thrown in the back of the Cadillac.

"Rumple!" Belle scolded, giving him a reproving poke. She was wearing a soft pink cotton dress with a light brown jacket and her Louis Vuitton half-boots.

Snow raised an eyebrow at him, and rolled her eyes. "Funny, Rumple." She handed Belle the bag.

Regina grinned and raced over to grab Rumple about the knees. "Unca Rumple!"

The pawnbroker knelt cautiously and gave the little imp a hug, saying, "Hey, dearie. You ready to go on a little trip with me?"

Regina shook her head eagerly, making her dark hair bounce up and down. "Yup! Me and Sofia were up all night talkin' 'bout it."

"And so were we," Charming rolled his eyes. "I really have to partition the loft so that she has her own room."

"But Charming, I like sleeping with her," Snow protested.

"Uh, I do too, except . . . when I want some privacy," her husband coughed, shooting her a meaningful Look.

"We can worry about that later," Snow said, flushing just a little. "C'mon, Regina, let's get you in the car." She took her toddler's hand and they walked towards the Cadillac.

"Now you be good for Uncle Rumple and Auntie Belle, okay?" Charming said.

"Kay, Daddy," the little minx assured him, skipping beside Snow.

Charming turned to Gold and Belle. "Rumple, you already know you have my permission to discipline her if she gets out of line." Actually that rule went for any of the adults in the family, since both he and Snow had decided that consistency was a key when raising a toddler, and they didn't want Regina thinking she could get away with acting up with other family members when she was with them and not her parents.

"It'll be fine, David. I've raised two children before this, so I think I can handle her," Rumple reassured him. "I'll meet you at the airport. You know where to go, right?"

"Yeah. Emma programmed my GPS yesterday," David said. "Careful driving and I'll see you there." He waved as he climbed back in his truck.

After Snow had given Regina a kiss goodbye and put her in her car seat, she hopped into the truck and they took off.

Belle waited patiently in the front seat for Rumple to get in the car and put his cane in the back before shutting the door. "Ready, sweetheart?" she asked her husband as they pulled out of the driveway.

"As I'll ever be," he sighed, and took a left onto Storybrooke's Main Street, leading out of town.

Just then the GPS began speaking, giving directions, and Regina frowned from her seat inbetween Rumple and Belle, and said, "Unca Rumple, there's a man talking to you. Where is he?" she half-pushed herself out of her seat, looking around.

"That's just a computer, dearie," Rumple explained. "Now sit back, Regina."

The toddler did so, hugging her doll, and then said to Belle, "Auntie Belle, want to sing a song?"

Belle smiled at her and said, "What shall we sing?"

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

After listening to _The Wheels on the Bus, Row Row Your Boat,_ and _I Love You_ (the theme song from Barney), for the fifteenth time in a row in twenty minutes, Gold wished he brought earplugs. Not that Belle didn't have a lovely singing voice, and even Regina could carry a tune, but singing the same songs over and over was driving him nuts, even more so than the traffic he'd run into on the highway.

 _Why did I ever agree to this?_ he wondered as he drove, trying to tune out Regina, who was singing lustily. Suddenly, a black SUV darted into the lane in front of him without warning, causing him to slam on his brakes to avoid hitting it.

"Ah, come on, you stupid—!" Rumple began, aggravated.

"Rumple!" Belle warned. "There's a baby here."

"—idiot," he finished, which wasn't what he'd been going to say at all.

Then Regina spoke up, peering at the SUV in front of them with wide eyes. "Unca Rumple, that's not what you say. You honk the horn and say, learn to drive, you asshole!"

Belle gasped. "Regina Nolan, where did you hear that?"

"Daddy said it when we were driving to the supermarket," the toddler said innocently. "But he said I couldn't tell Mommy."

Rumple had to bite his lip hard to keep from bursting out laughing. Then he said, recalling himself, "That's not something you should be saying, young lady."

"Why? Because Daddy'll get in trouble with Mommy?"

"Yes, and because you will if you keep repeating it," Belle said. "That's not a nice thing to say, so you mind your mouth, miss, unless you want to taste soap."

Regina shook her head. "Nuh-uh, Auntie Belle. I'll 'member."

Rumple shot a side-long glance at his wife. "Maybe I ought to remind David that little pitchers have big ears . . . and bigger mouths."

"Pitchers don't have ears, Unca Rumple," Regina remarked. "They gots handles."

"Never mind, honey. Your uncle was . . . umm . . . being metaphorical," Belle said, her lips quivering.

"What's that?"

"Umm . . . never mind. Why don't I read you a book?" Belle suggested, getting out _Lady and the Tramp_ from Regina's carryon.

By the time the story was done, Belle was dozing in the front seat.

Rumple prayed that Regina would drop off too, but the little girl seemed possessed of an unnatural amount of energy, more than he could recall Alina having at that age.

"Are we there yet, Unca Rumple?"

"Not yet," he groaned at that dreaded question.

"When will we be? I'm bored."

"Why don't you take a nap then, like Auntie Belle?"

She shook her head. "Not tired."

"Look out the window then," he said, changing lanes to get off at the proper exit.

As he did so, he saw Emma's yellow Bug ahead of them, and Bae beeped the horn as they went by.

A tiny fist suddenly jabbed him right in the shoulder, starting him so much he nearly swerved into the guard rail.

"Yellow punch buggy, no punchbacks!" Regina squealed.

"Regina!" Gold snapped. "I'm driving, dammit it all!"

"Oooh, you said a bad word!" the toddler reminded, shaking her finger at him. "I'm telling!"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that," Rumple sighed. _Now she's telling on me? Who's she going to tell?_ He wondered, rolling his eyes. "But you can't do that while I'm driving, little imp. It's a distraction. I could hit something."

"Like a car or a tree?"

"Yes, now keep your hands to yourself."

"How come? Do you need glasses?"

"No, of course not!" Rumple said exasperatedly. "I can see perfectly well. Who taught you that anyway?"

"Henry did," Regina answered.

"Figures," the sorcerer muttered, thinking he was going to have a long talk with his grandson about teaching his toddler aunt appropriate things to do while riding in a car. He reminded himself they only had fifteen more minutes until they reached Logan International . . . or at least that's what the GPS said.

Surely he could survive that much longer with a hyperactive toddler.

Fifteen minutes later they were stuck in traffic because some idiot had decided to do some construction work just before the road he needed to get on to the airport. They were crawling along and Rumple wanted to scream.

A bored Regina was whining in her seat, so he gave her some Goldfish, hoping to distract her. "Here, eat these and hush. It'll only be a few minutes."

"Why's it taking so long, Unca Rumple? Are we lost?"

"No, we're not lost," her uncle replied, thinking maybe it was a good idea if he took the hint and vanished. "Just be patient, okay?"

Regina, however, didn't do patient for very long. Her limit was about five minutes. Next thing he knew, she was waving Goldfish in his face and saying, "Want some, Unca Rumple? Want some?"

"No!" he snapped. "I mean, no thank you," he amended, realizing he was letting his temper get the better of him.

"You sure are grouchy," the little girl remarked candidly. "Is it 'cause your leg hurts?"

"No. It's because I'm frustrated," he muttered. _And I have a nosy toddler to deal with on top of everything._ "Now just . . . talk to yourself or something, okay?"

Two minutes went by, then Regina began making buzzing noises and waving her hands in front of Gold's face. "Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzz! I'm a honey bee, Unca Rumple!" she crowed. "Bzzz! Bzzz!"

"Regina! Quit waving your hands in front of my face," he ordered angrily. "Godsake, I'm driving!"

"But I'm playing," she said, sounding rather cranky.

"I don't care. Now stop pestering me. Why don't you play with Auntie Belle?"

"She's asleep." She began to kick her heels against her car seat. "Unca Rumple, when we gonna get on the plane? I wanna fly."

Rumple ignored her, counting to ten in his head. Right then he wished Regina could fly too—right into orbit so he could get some peace.

"Unca Rumple, I want French fries," Regina whined next.

"Well, you can't have them right now. We're stuck on the road. You'll have to wait."

She pouted, her lower lip sticking out. Clearly she didn't like that answer, because she said, "Waiting sucks! I want some _now_."

Rumple ground his back teeth together. "That's too bad. Now mind that attitude, young miss, before I count to three."

Regina glared at him. "You're mean!" She kicked her feet, banging them into the dashboard.

"Stop that!" he growled. "Or else you're going to see just how mean I can be."

She crossed her arms over her chest and scowled. Then she blew a raspeberry . . . right in his ear. "You're an old grouch!"

Rumple craned his head around and gave her a Look. "Young lady, you better knock it off right now. I'm sorry we're stuck in traffic, but you're just going to have to deal with it. Why don't you play with your Leapster?"

Regina clamped her hands over her ears and yelled, "Not listening!"

Rumple nearly hit the car in front of him. Thoroughly out of patience now, he snapped, "Regina Nolan, don't make me pull this car over! Or else!"

"Or else what?" she asked impudently.

"Or else a certain naughty little girl is going to end up getting a swat and five minutes in the corner before we even get on the airplane, am I clear?" he warned.

"You can't put me in time out! There's no corner in here!" she pointed out aggravatingly.

"I'll make one just for you, young lady," he snorted. "Don't test me."

"You're mean, mean, mean!" she wailed. "I don't like you no more!"

"Regina. One."

"I'm telling Mommy!"

"Go ahead. Two."

Abruptly realizing he wasn't fooling around, she subsided. "No! No counting!"

"You going to behave?"

"Okay," she muttered, wearing a sulky look that would have done the Wicked Witch of the West proud. But at least she was quiet now.

Until she started sniffling.

Rumple wanted to bang his head against the steering wheel. "What's the matter now?"

"You're . . . mad at me," she sniveled, huge tears forming in her big eyes.

Rumple winced. "Hey, none of that now," he murmured, wondering if he'd been a bit too harsh with her. She was only three, after all. "If you'd start listening, I won't be mad at you, okay?"

"M'sorry!" she bawled.

Oh, great. This was just what he needed. Trapped in a car with a wailing toddler. He wanted to kill Baelfire and his bright ideas.

"Rumple?" Belle murmured sleepily, sitting up. "Why's Regina crying?"

"We're stuck in traffic and she's cranky," he replied.

"He _yelled_ at me!" Regina sobbed.

Belle frowned. "Why?"

"Because she was throwing a fit."

"He's mean, Auntie Belle!"

Belle groaned. Knowing Regina, she'd probably tested Rumple to the max. "Shhh! Regina, stop crying. We're almost there. See all the lights and the people in the funny uniforms?" She pointed to some skycaps waiting outside the terminal.

"Yeah. What're they doing?" Distracted, Regina turned off the waterworks.

"They're taking everybody's luggage," Belle explained. "At least I think so."

"Why?"

"So they can put it on the plane," Belle told her.

Rumple managed to pull up to the terminal a few moments later.

"Are we there yet, Auntie Belle?"

"We are. Thank you God!" muttered Gold, putting the car in park and slowly getting out. He already had a headache and they hadn't even gotten on the plane yet. As he limped around the car to open the door for Belle, he saw Charming and Snow pull up behind him.

"She's all yours," he sighed in relief as he handed Belle out of the car, then went to unbuckle Regina from her car seat.

If the vacation had started out on this note, he shuddered to imagine what the rest of it might be like. He wondered if they sold Valium around here, because he sure as hell needed some, ASAP!

 


	2. Leavin' On a Jetplane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> more adventures and mishaps await in the airport and on the airplane . . .

"Okay, guys, I think we have to go this way to the gate," said Emma, reading her boarding pass as she walked, carrying her leather carryall bag.

"Hon, you sure it's this way?" Bae asked. "I thought the ticket lady said gates 95-105 were to the west of the check-in counter?"

"No, I'm sure she said it was this way. Besides, there's a bathroom over here and I need to use it," Emma said, making a beeline for it.

"So do I," Belle said. "You just wait here, Rum." She followed Emma into the ladies room.

"Mommy, I want French fries," Regina said, tugging on Snow's hand.

"Okay, Regina. We'll get them after we . . . uh . . . use the potty. Do you have to go?" Snow asked.

"Nope, I'm good," Regina assured her.

"Okay, then you wait here with Daddy while Mommy goes," Snow said, then she indicated that David should stay with the toddler and went after Emma and Belle.

"What is with women and having to use the bathroom all at the same time?" David muttered to Bae.

"Search me, buddy. Maybe it's like a group mentality? You know, some kind of mental herd thing?" Bae said. He looked at Henry. "You need to go, tiger?"

"Nope. But can I get something to drink and some Cinnabons, Dad? Look, there's a place right over there," he pointed to the glowing light-up kiosk right across from the restrooms.

"Yeah, I want a latte, Papa," Alina said. "Can I have one, please?"

Rumple dug in his pocket and handed her a fifty. "That's the lowest denomination I've got, dearie. Get yourself whatever you want and bring me back an Evian, okay? And you can keep the change."

"Thanks, Papa!" Alina ran over to Henry and the two dragged Bae off to the Cinnabon kiosk.

While they were doing that, David spotted a magazine vendor and said to Rumple, "Would you mind keeping an eye on Regina for a minute? I want to go over and buy a magazine or two to read on the plane. I . . . uh . . . left the book I was reading on the bed this morning. And maybe I'll get some gum too. Want anything, Rum?"

"No, I'm good. Go ahead," Rumple waved him off. "Regina and I will wait here."

David went over to the magazine vendor and Regina tugged on Rumple's hand, bringing him over to a slidewalk that ran straight down towards gates 95-105. "Unca Rumple, what's that?" she pointed to the slidewalk, where people were getting off and on it and some kids were jumping on and off it like it was a ride.

"I don't know, Regina," Rumple admitted, having never seen anything like it before.

"Can I try it?" Regina begged.

Rumple sighed. "Okay, dearie. But you get right back on after you get off, understand? You run anywhere and you'll be in serious trouble, got me?"

She looked up at him, recognizing the warning in his tone. "Serious trouble like a spanking and time out?"

"That's right. So don't do it."

"I won't. C'mon, Sofia!" she shrieked and jumped on the moving black strip, her sneakers glowing.

As the slidewalk pulled her gently down it, Rumple watched carefully, ready to use his magic to bring her back if she took it into her head to disregard his orders.

He was so intent upon watching Regina that he didn't notice the rather large man in jeans and Lakers shirt with a blue baseball cap on come up behind him until he said rather loudly, "Hey, Gramps, you want to get on, or you gonna just stand there like a retard? Let's move it, I ain't got all day."

Rumple turned slowly, unable to believe this rude lout was addressing him in such a manner. "Excuse me? Are you speaking to me?"

"What are you deaf too, old man?"

Rumple was about to give the big idiot a piece of his mind when Regina stepped off the slidewalk and ran over to Rumple. "Unca Rumple, I did it!"

"Hey, kid. Tell your grandpa to quit blocking traffic and move his geriatric ass," the fat man grunted.

Regina glared at him. "Yo, mister! He's not my grandpa, he's my uncle, and you don't talk like that to him! Didn't your mommy teach you any better?"

The big man flushed at being scolded by a three-year-old and a few people walking by started tittering and snickering. "Why don't you buzz off, you know-it-all little brat?"

Rumple seriously considered rubbing together his cufflinks and turning this ill-mannered pig into a bug or hexing his mouth shut, when Regina snapped, "No, _you_ buzz off, buster!" She held out a hand as if it were a gun and said, "You're under arrest! Hands behind your back and spread 'em!" she ordered in her best big-sister Emma tone.

"You for real, kid?" snorted the man, sounding even more like a pig. "Ooh, now I'm really scared! Why don't you and your lame uncle take the short bus back home to wherever you came from?"

Gold stiffened and hissed, "Watch how you speak to my niece, you ignoramus, before I impale you on my cane!"

"You threatening me?" the guy growled, too dumb to recognize the warning in the other's tone, and he got right in Gold's face, one hand leaning on the metal railing of the slidewalk.

He was so busy trying to intimidate Gold that he failed to notice that Regina had a pair of handcuffs in her hands, she'd been playing with a set of Emma's the other day and had put them in a pocket of her jacket and forgotten about them until now.

The little girl didn't like this rude smelly stranger at all, and she was furious that he wasn't listening to her, and so she snapped one cuff on his wrist, which happened to be the one resting on the slidewalk, and the other cuff she snapped onto the metal bar of the slidewalk, saying, "Gotcha, you big fat bully!"

"Shut up, you little—" the man began, and that's when Henry and Alina returned with a box of Cinnabons and saw the man threatening Regina.

"Hey, mister! Don't look now, but the cops are coming!" Alina cried, and pretended to look behind him.

"Where?" the bully yelped and looked behind him for the police.

Henry made a discreet gesture and the man was suddenly repelled away from Regin and Rumple down the slidewalk, stumbling backwards so fast he sat down on his ass and was pulled along until he reached the end of the slidewalk.

"Good one, Henry!" Alina whispered and they high-fived each other before they ran up to Regina and Rumple.

"Look, we got Cinnabons with extra frosting, Regina!" Henry said, and the two took the toddler's hands and began to skip down the aisle towards the gate, with Rumple limping alongside.

"Yummy! Can I have some?" Regina asked.

"Sure you can," Alina said, then she looked over at her father. "Want some?"

"No thanks, dearie. I'm not very hungry right now," he said, then he leaned over and whispered reprovingly in Henry's ear, "Don't think I don't know what you did, Henry Gold."

Henry gave him a guilty sheepish grin, reminding him sharply of Bae at the same age. "Uh . . . yeah . . . but nobody threatens my grandpa or my little aunt like that."

Rumple heaved a sigh and said, "Okay, I'll let it go. This time. But next time, young man, you'll be grounded and forbidden to cast spells for two weeks."

They started walking over to one of the tables beside a Nathan's, while behind them on the slidewalk the luckless bully was still cuffed to the railing and struggling to free himself. "Hey! Hey, kid! Come back and let me loose, okay? Hey! Don't just leave me here!"

Henry and Alina exchanged glances. "Maybe we ought to—" Henry began.

"How, dearie? We don't have the keys, Regina borrowed those cuffs from your mother and she left the keys back in Storybrooke," Rumple reminded them with a sly smirk. "Don't worry though. Someone will come along and let the big oaf loose . . . eventually."

"In the meantime, let's eat!" Henry said, and they all sat down at the table and he handed round the box of Cinnabons, cutting one in pieces for Regina to eat. Alina gave Rumple his bottle of water too.

As she ate the gooey treat, Regina told Henry about the really rude fat man, "And he called Unca Rumple a really _bad_ name and was gonna push him down, so I under arrested him just like Emma, Henry!"

Henry started laughing so much he almost choked on his Cinnabon, and Rumple had to swat him on the back.

"Easy, boy. I don't want to have to explain to your parents why you nearly choked to death," his grandfather said. "Here, drink some water," he gave Henry his Evian.

"She _under arrested_ him!" Alina giggled. "That's the funniest thing I ever heard of."

"He was lucky that's all that happened to him," Rumple growled. "In another minute I would have magicked him into something that crawled on its belly."

Just then Bae returned with some bottles of iced tea and David joined him with a plastic bag of magazines and gum. They helped themselves to the Cinnabons and soon after that the ladies all came by and Snow went to get Regina some French fries with ketchup and a hot dog for herself and Charming.

"Anybody else want something to eat?" she asked.

"No, I'm good," Emma said.

"I'll have a hot dog," Belle said, handing Snow some money.

"Could you get me some cheese fries with bacon?" Bae asked, giving Snow some more money. "Henry, Alina, we can share them."

"Cool, Bae," said his sister.

Snow returned with a tray of food a few minutes later, and they all scarfed it down, since they had to wait at least two hours before they boarded.

As they headed to the security checkpoint, Bae briefed them all on what to expect, saying that they would have to take off their shoes, coats, and so forth and put them in little plastic baskets so they could be X-rayed. "That means your cane too, Papa."

"Bae, I need that to walk," Rumple objected.

"Don't sweat it, Papa. It's only for a few feet and I'll help you if you need it," his son soothed.

"And our shoes too? How very . . . uncivilized!" Rumple grumbled.

"It's so they can check if you have bombs or something in them, Grandpa," Henry explained.

Rumple rolled his eyes. "Ridiculous! As if I would ruin my Gucci loafers by putting an explosive in them."

"Well, you never know," David snickered, and Rumple shot him a death glare.

They all managed to get through the security checkpoint all right, though Regina fussed a little about putting Sofia in the basket, but the lady doing the checkpoint explained to her that her doll was just getting an X-ray like at the hospital and Snow helped Regina walk through the scanner and the little girl stopped whining once she saw Sofia on the other side.

After they had all collected their belongings and put on their shoes again, they went down to the gate and waited there until it was time to board. Henry and Alina read on their Nooks while Bae and Emma played Candy Crush on their cells, Belle and Rumple read paperbacks, Regina played a game on her Leapster, and Snow and David talked quietly about what it would be like to fly for the first time.

Snow was excited about it, but David was rather nervous, though he didn't say anything to his wife. As she babbled excitedly about the miracle of aerodynamics, David Googled a few facts in his phone and read them before they announced the flight was boarding.

Because they were first class passengers with a small child and a disabled person, the Golds and Charmings were allowed to board first, and the way the seating worked out was that David and Rumple ended up together in one row, with Snow and Regina in another, Belle, Alina, and Emma behind them, and Bae and Henry in front of David and Rumple.

The kids were almost bouncing off the seats, they were so excited. Regina kept playing with the buckle of her seat belt until David leaned over and told her to stop, or else when the plane took off she could fall out unless she was wearing it. That kept the curious toddler from taking it off repeatedly, though Snow shot David a frown at his exaggeration.

"Hey, at least it worked," her husband muttered.

He was feeling more uneasy by the minute, especially when the flight attendant came up and began going over the emergency procedures with them and talking about what might go wrong with the airplane and where the exits were and the oxygen masks and so on.

Gold looked slightly alarmed, and began mentally calculating if he had enough magic stored in his cuffs to keep the plane airborne if something _did_ malfunction.

Snow and Belle listened blithely, too excited to be nervous about the plane crashing. Emma and Bae had flown before, so this was old hat to them and they dozed through that part. Alina and Henry were also unconcerned, after all, they had magic, so if the plane crashed, they'd magic themselves a shield and not worry about it. Then too, they were sure that if anything happened, Rumple would save them.

Snow made sure she and Regina had gum to chew and handed out pieces to Belle, Rumple, and Alina and Henry. Charming had his own and so did Emma and Bae.

Finally they were airborne and the fasten seatbelt sign was turned off. Snow peered out the window and was amazed at how pretty everything looked from the plane. "David, we're _flying!_ " she chirped happily. "Like birds! Look out the window and see all the beautiful clouds!"

David gave her a faint smile. "I know, honey. It's . . . wonderful!" He was seated next to the window and quickly looked out the window and then just as quickly glanced away. His hands gripped the seat rest and he surreptitiously wiped sweat from his forehead with the back of hand.

Rumple noticed and said softly, "Something wrong, dearie?"

"Oh my God, Rumple! We're gonna die!" David hissed.

"Die? What are you talking about?" Rumple turned to look at the former prince.

"Do you know how many planes crash every year?" David whispered. "I Googled it on my phone and . . . it said . . . there were over 3,000 crashes last year alone . . . and over five hundred of those were fatalities . . . I'm telling you, it's not safe . . . there's a chance something could go wrong . . . like something malfunction in the fuselage . . . or there could be a gas leak . . . or we could run into a flock of birds and one could get sucked into the engine . . . or an instrument could fail . . . an engine could blow out . . ."

"You're not serious?" Rumple gasped.

"Look. It's all here on my phone. I told Snow we should have taken the train," David gasped. He clutched the seat rest for dear life, pale and sweating.

As Rumple read the statistics on David's phone, Snow and Belle were giggling like schoolgirls and pointing out different anomalies in the clouds and how magical it was to fly through the air like birds.

Bae and Henry were playing Jeopardy on Henry's tablet, while Regina and Alina were watching a movie on their mini TV's. Emma was taking a nap.

"David, can you believe we're up so high?" Snow said. "Over 20,000 feet! It's so amazing!"

"Yeah, it's just great, Mary Margaret," her husband said, giving her a fake smile.

Only Rumple noticed his hands were trembling. "Pull yourself together, man! You've fought a dragon, for Godsake! And ogres! You're fought King George's mercenaries too."

"So what? I was on the ground where I belong, not in the air in some metal contraption," Charming whimpered. "I couldn't crash and blow up. Didn't you read those statistics?"

Rumple nodded tightly. They hadn't looked good, and now he was starting to feel uneasy too. Could they be sure this airplane was reliable? After all, it didn't use magic to fly, and there was an awful lot that could go wrong. "Maybe you should read a magazine," he told David. "Try and relax."

"I can't. I think I'm gonna be sick."

"Breathe, dammit! You're not going to puke all over my good suit," Rumple ordered. He signaled the flight attendant. "Miss, may I have a ginger ale for my . . . err . . . cousin here? He's a little nervous. And I'll take a Guinness or gin and tonic, if you've got it."

"Of course, sir. The drinks are complimentary for first class guests," the flight attendant smiled at him.

Soon she returned with the drinks and Rumple gave David the ginger ale in a plastic cup with ice and then put the rest of the can down on the tray table. "Here, Nolan. Sip it, and breathe!"

David began to do so, while Rumple drank his beer. It was Sam Adam's ale, not bad.

They were about ten minutes into the flight when the plane began to bounce up and down and the captain's voice came over the loudspeaker, telling them not to be alarmed, it was just a little turbulence. "Nothing to worry about, folks. The weather's fine in New York."

"But we aren't in New York yet," David shivered, beginning to hyperventilate. "We're gonna die . . . the plane's gonna come apart . . . Rumple, I'm gonna pass out . . . tell Snow I love her . . . and Regina . . ."

Rumple half-turned, shielding David from anyone looking over at them. "Stop it! You're making _me_ nervous. Now take a deep breath . . . come on . . . that's right . . . . breathe . . . one, two, three . . . again . . ." he gritted his teeth as the plane bounced again. "You don't want Snow to see you like this, right?"

David shook his head. "Please, Rumple . . . don't tell anyone . . ."

"Shh . . . I think you need something stronger than ginger ale." He signaled the flight attendant again. "Miss, he'll have a rum and Coke, please. And I'll have another beer. Same kind as before."

More drinks arrived and so did a snack. Snow and Belle had a fruit plate and some bread with butter. Regina had cheese with crackers and some of Snow's fruit and a carton of milk. Alina and Henry ate the rest of their Cinnabons and had chocolate milk.

Bae and Emma had a cold cut plate with grapes and saltine crackers. Gold had the same thing and so did David, but he could only eat the crackers for fear he'd get sick all over Rumple, and if that happened, Rumple told him he'd shove him right out the window.

To cover up his own nervousness, Rumple held up two fingers as the flight attendant came by with the drink cart, and she happily gave him another beer and David another rum and Coke.

"How many of those have you had?" David asked softly as the attendant brought Rumple a third beer.

"Three, maybe four. Why? I feel perfectly fine," Gold replied breezily. "Don't worry about me. See, the plane's not crashing. We're still all here."

"We still have forty minutes or so until we land," David whispered. "And more accidents happen while landing than anywhere else."

Rumple promptly ordered another beer. "Don't worry. If anything happens, I can keep us safe. With these," he indicated his cufflinks.

David looked somewhat relieved, but he didn't relax his grip on the seat rest much.

Across the aisle, Regina was peering out the window on Snow's lap and singing the Air Force song, "Off we go, into the wild blue yonder, flying high into the sky . . ." she made flying and swooping motions with her hands, giggling and saying, "Mommy, we can fly just like birdies!"

"I know, sweetie! Isn't it the best thing?"

"Yeah and the world looks so tiny up here, like the anthills in Africa when I watched Animal Planet with Archie."

"She's adorable," said the flight attendant. "How old is she?"

"Regina, tell the lady how old you are," Snow said, smiling.

"I'm three years old," Regina said proudly and held up three fingers. "And I can tie my own shoes and everything!"

"Wow! You're almost a lady!" laughed the stewardess.

"Yup! And I'm Daddy's princess too."

"Who's your daddy, honey bunch?"

"The man in the blue jacket over there by the window next to Unca Rumple," Regina pointed. "His name's David but Mommy calls him Charming."

"Oh, how cute! Like the prince?"

"Uh huh. And that's my big sister Emma an' my brother Bae and Henry behind us and Alina, she's my cousin and next to her's Auntie Belle."

"Okay, kid, I don't think she needs our life history," Emma chuckled.

"She's very smart," the flight attendant gushed. "And she talks so well for her age."

"Sometimes she talks too much," Rumple said, amused.

"I'll bet she keeps you on your toes," laughed the girl.

"That she does, dearie," he replied, his brown eyes sparkling.

"Where do you all come from?"

"Storybrooke, Maine," Regina sang out.

"You've probably never heard of it. It's a small town, very rural," Emma said quickly.

"And you're all going to New York?"

"Family vacation," Bae said.

"That's so wonderful! Most people go to places like Disney on vacation, not New York."

"New York's closer," Bae chuckled. "We can do Orlando when Regina's a little older and won't be scared of all the characters."

"How long's that flight?" asked Snow brightly.

"Oh, not long. Maybe two and a half hours," the stewardess said.

" _You're_ taking her," Charming informed Rumple _sotto voce_.

"I am not. Bae and Emma are," Rumple shot back.

"How much longer do we have for this flight?" David asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"We should be there in about ten minutes. The captain will tell you to fasten your seatbelts very soon and then we might circle a little before we land."

"Circle?" David asked, puzzled.

"In a holding pattern, sometimes JFK can have a bit of traffic, so we have to wait till air traffic control tells us we can begin an approach. Don't worry. It only takes ten or fifteen minutes if we have to do that," she reassured them.

Charming gulped. "You get . . . traffic in the air? But we're flying."

"It only happens sometimes, sir. And in that case you just relax and wait," She gave him a sweet smile. "See you. Hope you enjoyed your flight."

"Oh, yeah. It was great," David nodded.

As soon as she was gone, he resumed his death grip on his seat rest, and started praying, "Please, don't circle. Please. I just want to get on the ground, is that too much to ask? Just let me get on the ground."

Rumple patted him on the shoulder. "We're going to be there soon."

"Unless we circle. Dear God, anything but that!"

"You want another drink?"

"No. I'm fine."

The seatbelt sign lit up and the captain's voice came on telling everybody to put their seatbelts on and put their tray tables in an upright position as they were beginning the approach to JFK.

Snow, Belle, and Regina squealed in delight.

"Honey, we're landing!" Snow looked over at David. "Are you all right? You look kind of pale. Do your ears hurt?"

"No, I'm fine, Mary Margaret. Just peachy," he smiled at her.

When she turned to give Regina a piece of gum, David closed his eyes and began reciting the Hail Mary.

Rumple fingered his cufflinks and gripped his own seatrest.

As the plane descended, the air pressure changed, and their ears popped.

Regina shook her head and pulled at her ears. "Oww! Mommy, my ears hurt!"

"Chew your gum, sweetie," Snow urged. "It'll help."

"But . . . oww!" the little girl started to cry. "I wanna get off!"

"So do I," murmured her father, now sweating bullets.

"Don't _you_ start crying," Rumple muttered.

"Shh! Regina, hold your breath and then blow your nose," Belle said. "Sometimes that equalizes the pressure in your head."

"How do you know that?" asked Emma.

"I read about it online," Belle replied.

But the little girl continued to hold her ears and cry.

David nudged Rumple. "Can't you do something?"

"Like what?"

"Use your . . . err . . . you know" he twirled his finger around.

"I'm not crazy!" Rumple snapped. Then he shook his head. He hated when little kids cried. "All right." He brought his wrists together and touched his cufflinks. There was a brief purple spark and he could feel magic surging through him. Then he unbuckled his seatbelt and stood up, reaching across the aisle to put his hand on Regina's head. "Here, dearie. Don't cry, baby. There! Is that better?" He quickly healed Regina's ears.

Regina quit crying and grinned up at him. "Lots, Unca Rumple! Thanks!"

Rumple smiled back and then sat down again, re-buckling his seatbelt. Crisis averted. He caught Snow and Belle's thankful looks as he did so.

Emma and Bae were dozing in their seats, while Alina and Henry were looking out the window and trying to estimate how long it would be before they landed.

"Hey, I see water," Henry called over to Alina.

"I think that's the river," she said. "I think we're by it so if the plane crashes we can land in the water."

"Oh, so that's good then," Henry said cheerfully.

"Yeah, real good!" David gasped. "Now will you stop talking about it! God, they're gonna jinx us!"

"Calm down. We're almost there," Rumple encouraged. "Say a couple more rosaries."

"Our Father . . ."

Finally the plane touched down and they were taxi-ing.

"Continental is pleased to welcome you to JFK International Airport and we hope you have a pleasant stay and come fly with us again!"

David mopped sweat from his brow with his sleeve. "Over my dead body!" he muttered to Rumple.

"Uh . . . you know we have to fly back?"

David looked like he was about to pass out.

"Don't worry, big guy. Next time . . . I'll get some tranquilizers," Rumple assured him.

**Page~*~*~*~Break**

Rumple gripped his cane hard as they walked down to the baggage claim to get their luggage. He was feeling sort of . . . unsteady on his feet and didn't quite know why. Maybe it was an aftereffect of the flight? Like being on a ship, when you needed to get your sea legs? Maybe you needed to get your land legs?

David walked beside him, his carryon slung over his shoulder. "Uh, Rumple? Thanks for back there."

"N-Not a problem," the sorcerer answered. His tongue felt thick. "Glad to help out a . . . comrade-in-arms. Y'know." Then he staggered.

David reached out and grabbed his arm. "Whoa! Take it easy! You okay?" He peered at the other man. His eyes looked strangely . . . unfocused.

"I'm jush . . . having a bit of trouble . . . walking . . . just a little . . ."

"Err . . . okay," David said, still eyeing him with concern. If he didn't know better . . . he'd say the older man was . . . drunk. But surely three or four beers wasn't enough to do that?

Rumple was feeling strangely happy and silly by the minute. They passed a huge light up recruiting poster for the Marines and suddenly he turned to David and cried, "They wanted me . . . y'know . . . t' go fight . . . that's how I got this . . ." he smacked his left leg pointedly.

"I know. You told me," David said, keeping one arm upon Rumple's elbow.

They had reached the baggage claim area and Emma and Bae led them to the proper carrel and said they'd have to wait a little to get their bags. Belle, Snow, and Regina were staring at the conveyer belt and Regina was asking Snow, "Mommy, how's that work?"

"It's run by a machine," Henry informed her.

Suddenly, Rumple started waving his cane around and yelling, "An' that shtupid offisher said 'Charge 'em, boys! Right for the center an' then stick yer spears right up th' enemy's ass!"

Several people turned around to stare at them and Charming said quickly, "He's an old soldier, sometimes he . . . uh . . . gets like this when he talks about old campaigns, you know."

Belle stared at her husband. "Rumple! How many did you have?" she gasped, coming over to him.

"Of what, dearie?" he smiled goofily at her.

"David! Is he . . .?"

"Uh, yeah. I don't know why . . . he only had three beers," David said. "Okay, calm down, Rumple! The war's over." He managed to get the inebriated sorcerer to stop waving his cane like a sword.

"It is?" Rumple peered at him. "Then we must be . . . having a party!" His head was spinning around like a top, he thought, but somehow it was all good. Smirking, he began to sing,"Oh, Danny boy! The pipes . . . the pipes are callin'! From glen to glen . . ."

Regina stared at her normally quiet uncle and said loudly, "Mommy, what's wrong with Unca Rumple?"

Snow hushed her, saying quickly, "Oh, nothing, sweetie! He's just . . . happy to be here, so he's singing."

Regina giggled and skipped over to him. "Unca Rumple, teach me that song!"

The sorcerer began happily belting out more lines to the toddler, while Snow grabbed Charming and hissed, "How many did he have, David! Why didn't you stop him?"

"Why're you blaming me? He . . . had a few beers, no big deal," David protested. "So he's a little wasted."

"David, that is more than a little!" Snow scowled, just as Rumple and Regina started bellowing "Danny Boy" together.

Belle was wringing her hands, just as Emma and Bae came up with some of their luggage. "Bae, what do we do? Your father is . . . err . . ." she gestured to the swaying sorcerer, leaning against a pillar.

"Oh my God!" Emma gasped.

"Jesus H. Christ, Papa!" Bae cried. "He's like three sheets to the wind. How many free drinks did he have?"

"David says only three, but it has to be more," Belle told him. "Nobody gets drunk on three beers unless you're . . ."

"On an airplane," Bae groaned. "Alcohol doesn't affect you as much at higher altitudes. Until you get on the ground. Emma, what do we do?"

"You're asking me? How do I know? I've never seen him drunk before!"

"Neither have I," Bae said. "But . . . he might use magic," he whispered.

"God, that would be a disaster," Emma gasped.

"Yeah, I know, so . . . why don't you use yours and . . . sober him up?" her husband suggested.

"I don't know that spell! He never taught me it! It's not like we hung out having a cold one!" Emma shot back.

" . . . and all the roses are fallin' . . . and ye must go and I must bide . . ."

"C'mon, hon. You can invent one, necessity's the mother of invention. Quick, before we have an . . . uh . .. incident."

"Like we don't already!" Emma growled, then she began frantically trying to come up with something while Rumple and Regina sang about summer in the meadow in Scotland.

Alina and Henry came up then, dragging their suitcases, and Henry looked at Alina and said, "Gee, Alina, I didn't know your papa liked to sing."

"Neither did I," the little girl said. "He must be really happy or something to be here."

"Yeah, and how," Henry said, then he started giggling.

"Hey, buddy, you're not half bad," said a tall man in a suit to Rumple. "What's your name? I own a recording studio . . ."

Rumple blinked at him. "My name . . . it's . . . R-Rum . . .Rumpleshstilshkin . . ."

"Say what?" the man goggled. "Rumpleshstiltskin?"

Regina tugged on the man's jacket. "That's not how you say it, dearie," she said mimicking her uncle perfectly. "It's _Rumplestiltskin_ ," she enunciated, rolling her R's.

Alina and Henry nearly fell over laughing.

"That's a pretty cool stage name, buddy."

"Emma, quick!" Bae gasped.

"Excuse me, sir," Emma said, coming between the stranger and her father-in-law. "Papa, you know how you get when you forget to take your medication . . ." She put her arm about Rumple's shoulder and tried to cast the spell she'd invented.

"Medication?" the guy stammered.

"Anti-depressants," Bae said, shouldering him away from Rumple and Emma.

"Are you his manager?"

"Yup and we're not interested in any contracts now," Bae murmured, praying Emma's spell worked.

"Sorry . . . maybe next time, here's my card."

Bae took it and shoved it in his pocket. Then he glanced back at Emma and his father. To his relief, his father seemed more . . . like himself. And he had quit singing. "Okay, does everybody have everything?"

"We're good," Snow said, looking about and noting everyone's luggage, even Gold's was there.

"Good. I'm going to find our driver. I know Papa hired one," Bae said, and walked outside to look for the limo Rumple had booked to take them to the Plaza.

What a vacation this was turning out to be!

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

With Bae and David's help, they managed to get a half-drunk Gold to their suite, which was actually a block of three rooms that shared a common kitchenette and den with a large HD flatscreen TV, complete with cable and a DVD player, and two bathrooms.

"C'mon, Papa. You're gonna take a little nap, okay?" Bae said, steering him towards the queen sized bed.

"Bae . . . Bae, I have to go collect the rent . . ." Gold was protesting.

"No, you don't," David said quickly, gently pushing the still inebriated sorcerer down on the bed. "Today's Sunday, right, Bae?"

"Yup, and you can just take a nap," Bae nodded, then he whispered to David, "Quick, undo his cufflinks!"

David quickly removed the cufflinks and Bae undid Gold's tie and unbuttoned the first two buttons on his shirt and pulled off his shoes. Then Bae managed to coax his father into lying down and pulled the covers over him.

Within moments, Rumple was asleep.

"Is he gonna be okay?" David asked worriedly, placing Rumple's cane in the corner near the bed.

"Hopefully he'll sleep it off," Bae sighed. "But he's going to have the dickens of a hangover tomorrow, I'd wager."

David winced. "Been there, done that."

"Me too," Bae admitted, then they tiptoed from the room and went to get unpacked and take showers and get something to eat from room service.


	3. Black Coffee In Bed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumple's well meaning family tries out cures on him for his hangover and Regina drives a sick Rumple crazy

If there was one perk to being the Dark One, it was that immortals _never_ got sick. From anything. When he'd been under the Dark One's curse, Rumplestiltskin had never had to worry about such mundane things as hangovers. His cursed body simply absorbed toxins and that was that. But now that the dagger curse had been shattered, a thing for which Rumple was very grateful for, his body had returned to almost human proportions. Almost because there were certain things he was still immune to, like fire and extreme cold, and his body aged hardly at all.

But that partial immunity, which extended itself to diseases, like colds and flus and the like, did not extend towards a night of drinking and the morning after, a fact which the unfortunate sorcerer learned the hard way the next morning.

He woke up somewhere around four AM feeling as if a dragon had stomped his head into the ground and chomped on it repeatedly. In addition to the headache that stabbed him behind the eyeballs, his mouth was drier than the Mojave Desert, his tongue felt coated with sandpaper and mold, and he ached like ten hells. But the worst was his stomach, which threatened to come up out of his throat.

He managed to grope for his cane and stagger the four steps to the bathroom, where he spent the next ten minutes throwing up his insides . . . or that's what he was sure was happening. He was sure he was dying . . . no, make that he _wished_ he'd died. At last he was reasonably sure he was done vomiting, but found he was too weak to even walk back to bed.

So he slumped down against the wall, drew his knees up to his chin, and laid his head on them, his hair flopping right over his face. He hadn't felt so sick since he'd returned from the Ogre Wars . . . and three hundred years had dulled the pain of that memory. His head was killing him, he was sure it was going to fall right off, he closed his eyes and tried to meditate, to drive away the pain with his iron will—but he found his focus was nil and whatever will he'd had left had been pickled by his stupid overconsumption of alcohol.

He couldn't ever recall feeling this way before. He'd never been much of a drinker, even when he was at the front with the rest of his company. He preferred to think and not drown his sorrows. In fact, he'd sneered at those who did so. Now he sneered at himself . . . and prayed for a quick death.

Hours later, at six thirty, David found him curled up on the floor, looking like a homeless hobo working on a six-day drunk, whimpering pitifully as the light stabbed his eyes when Charming flipped the switch prior to coming into the bathroom to shave and wash his face.

"What the—aww, hells, Rumple! Why didn't you call anyone, buddy?" he murmured sympathetically, recalling all too well his own morning afters, the most recent one being when he was still cursed and Kathryn had gone missing and he feared Snow was to blame for it. He'd gotten totally hammered and spent the next morning puking his guts up, huddled on the floor of his bathroom, and hadn't managed to get up until hours later, where he spent half the day on the couch, drinking water and trying to keep something in his stomach.

"Go . . . away . . . let me . . . die . . . in . . . peace . . ."

David flinched, and knelt beside the stricken sorcerer. "Can't do that, buddy. You helped me out on that damn plane, now it's my turn to help you."

"Don't . . . shout . . . please . . ."

David lowered his voice as much as humanly possible and whispered, "C'mon, Rumple. Let's get you off the floor."

"No . . . the floor's good . . ." Rumple groaned.

But David just put an arm about him and rolled him gently to a sitting position.

Rumple's head flopped forward like a ragdoll's, and he half-hissed, "If . . . you want to . . . help me . . . call . . . Emma . . ."

"Call Emma? What for?" Charming repeated, puzzled. "I don't think you want her to see you like this."

"Just . . . do it!" Rumple moaned.

"Why?"

"Because . . . she . . . has . . . a gun. . . I want . . . her . . . to . . . shoot . . . me . . ." Rumple managed to get out.

"Yeah, I know the feeling," David said. "I wanted to put a gun to my head too. Several times."

"Why . . . didn't . . . you?"

"I couldn't find one . . . and couldn't get up to look either," the former prince replied. He sighed as he saw that Rumple's silk shirt was wrinkled and bore a few unmentionable stains on it. "Be right back, buddy. I'm going to get you some water and a cold towel, okay?"

He was gone about five minutes. But it was long enough to run into Belle, Snow, and Emma. All three women had woken up to use the bathroom and had taken turns after discovering poor Rumple was in the other one. Now they all congregated in the hallway.

"Hey, girls. Uh . . . I was just bringing Rumple some water," Charming said. "He's sick as a dog."

"Sicker," Emma replied with the voice of experience. "Believe me, I ought to know."

Snow gaped at her. "You . . . were drunk?"

"Yup. Couple times. Especially after Bae and I broke up that time. Drank tequila shots like ambrosia. And _nothing_ beats a tequila induced hangover." Emma shuddered.

"That's only 'cause you've never done Jagerbombs, Em," Bae said, coming out of the second bathroom. "Trust me, you'd rather be tortured than have _that_ hangover."

"I got a hangover once. After girl's night with Ruby and Ashley," Snow recalled. "I wanted to ram myself into a wall."

"I never knew that!" Charming gasped.

"Well, you weren't there," his wife replied.

"I . . . I've never been that drunk," Belle admitted. "Poor Rumple! How long has he been in there . . . like that?"

"Probably a couple of hours, is my guess," David said.

"How terrible!" Belle cried. "Is there anything we can do?"

"I'm going to bring him some water and a cold towel," Charming said. "Sometimes that helps a little."

"Yeah, at least you're not throwing up your insides," Emma murmured.

"Or you're throwing up something besides them," Bae reflected. "I can bring those, David."

"No, better let me, Baelfire. The last thing he'd want is for you to see him like this," Charming shook his head.

"But I'm his son—"

"And that's why you're going to stay out here and let me deal with him. A man's got his pride and he'd probably die right there if he knew you'd seen him like this," David insisted. "I know you mean well, but . . . let me handle it. You and Emma can try and figure out a remedy."

"We can too," Belle said suddenly. "Snow, let's Google some cures on our phones." She ran back into the bedroom she shared with Rumple and grabbed her cell.

Snow went to get hers too, while Bae and Emma went into the den, where a small wet bar was, and began to look through it for a few things. "A bartender I used to know told me the best hangover cure was tomato juice with pepper and lime and sugar," Emma said.

"I used to drink black coffee and water," Bae said.

"And take two aspirins?" his wife asked wryly, looking for some tomato juice.

"Nah. That would make me puke. A friend of mine swore by bacon and eggs."

Emma made a face. "No way. The mere smell of that the morning after would make me puke the rest of my guts out. Like I did when I was pregnant."

While Belle and Snow Googled on their cells, David returned to Rumple, and began trying to get him to drink the glass of water mixed with some sugar. "C'mon, Rumple. You're dehydrated, buddy. This'll help."

Rumple stubbornly turned his head away. "No. I can't . . ."

"I know you feel like hell, but this'll help," David urged, putting the glass to the sorcerer's lips after he'd brushed his hair out of his face. "Just like you told me . . . sip it, Gold."

Reluctantly, Rumple sipped the water.

David coaxed him to drink about half the glass and then draped the wet towel about the back of his neck. "There. How's that feel?"

Rumple made a face. "Do . . . you always feel this . . . damned awful?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"Then . . . why the hell do you keep doing it?"

"'Cause you forget about the last time," David replied candidly.

"Never again . . ." Rumple whispered.

David half-smiled at the familiar litany. He'd said that too.

"Rumple, buddy, how about getting into . . . uh . . . something beside your . . . uh . . . suit . . .like a pair of sweats and a T-shirt?"

Rumple glared up at him balefully. "How? I can . . . barely sit up, Nolan!"

"I can help . . . if you want?" David offered awkwardly.

Rumple went mute, pride warring with his innate need for cleanliness.

"Where's . . . Belle?"

"She's . . . uh . . . Googling cures for hangovers on her cell."

"She knows?" Rumple looked like he wanted to crawl in a hole.

"Yeah . . . we kind of all do," David admitted.

The sorcerer hung his head. "Tell Emma to shoot me. _Now._ Put me . . . out of my misery . . . like an old dog . . ."

"Hey, don't talk like that. We've all been there, buddy."

"Yeah, right."

"Trust me. I'm serious."

"All of you have been this . . . disgracefully sick before?" Rumple asked.

"Been there, done that. Lots of times," Charming said, sounding uncharitably cheerful.

"No . . . way . . ." Rumple whimpered. "Ah . . . God . . ." He dragged himself to his feet, started to unbutton his shirt, then promptly felt his stomach heave.

David moved, holding him upright as much as possible, while he threw up.

When he could talk again, Rumple snarled, "I told . . . you . . . I can't keep . . . anything . . . down . . ."

"Here. Rinse your mouth," David whispered. "Now drink some more, Gold."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"I said . . . _no_!"

David started snickering.

"What the . . . hell is . . . so funny?" spat Rumple. His head still felt like it was coming off.

"Us. I feel like I'm having an argument with a three-year-old."

"Shut up!"

"Not till you take a sip, Gold."

"Why? Do you like seeing me like this?"

"Nope. It's cause then you've got something in there to throw up. Now take a sip."

"Okay. But then I'm dying. Right the hell now."

David smirked. It was almost like hearing an echo . . . of himself once upon a time.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

Emma insisted upon mixing up the tomato juice cure, though Bae said adamantly that it didn't work. "How do you know that, Baelfire?"

"You ever try it?" he queried.

"No, but that doesn't mean it doesn't work."

"He needs coffee and water," Bae insisted.

"Or milk with honey," Snow said, holding her phone.

"I found a site that says something called tiger balm is good for headaches," Belle said.

"What the hell's tiger balm?" Emma muttered.

"It's an Asian herbal medicine," Bae replied. "I've heard of it."

"Where do you get it?"

"At the Asian market, probably," her husband mused. "I can go out and look . . . once it's open. It probably opens at eight or nine AM."

"What else did you find?" Emma asked.

"Uh, mostly the same as you've said," Snow replied. "And some really weird things. Someone recommended running and swimming in the ocean. And eating shrimp with tobacco sauce."

"Fat chance of that," Bae snorted.

"Peppermint tea," Belle announced.

Charming emerged from the bathroom.

"How is he?" asked Belle anxiously.

"Still sick. I'm going to get some sweats and a T-shirt for him. Did he bring something like that?"

"Uh . . . yes, I packed him some. He sleeps in them." Belle said, then blushed.

"Nothing wrong with that," Bae said. "I do."

"Same here," Charming said, then went into the bedroom to get them.

With some assistance, Rumple managed to put on his sweats and a black T-shirt with the Fire Mountain logo on it—a gift from Bae.

Charming got him his cane and helped him back to bed.

Then his well-meaning family tried out the cures they'd discovered . . . most of which made him puke.

Finally he ordered them all away and said he just wanted to die in peace.

It was then that Henry and Alina woke up.

"Got anything for breakfast?" the boy asked brightly.

"Uh . . we can go downstairs and see," Emma said.

"How about coffee?" Alina asked. Then she looked around. "Where's Papa?"

"He's . . . umm . . . not feeling well," Belle told her.

"We still haven't tried the coffee," Bae insisted.

"I can make coffee!" Alina offered.

"Okay. Make it strong. You two do that while I go out to the store and get something to make Papa feel better," Bae told them. "That Asian market should be open now."

"You sure you know how to get there?" Emma said.

"Sure. I've been to it before, last time I was in the city," her husband said. "Be back before you know it." He kissed her lightly.

Alina and Henry went to make the coffee while the rest of them got dressed.

They found the old style percolator in a cabinet of the kitchenette, as well as a can of Newman's Dark Roast with a scoop, which they opened with a can opener they found in a drawer.

"I'll pour in the water and you can scoop in the coffee," Alina said, filling up the pot at the sink.

"Okay. You've done this before, right?" Henry asked.

"Um . . . well, usually Alice already had some made, but . . . how hard can it be?" she replied, setting the pot down.

"How many scoops do I put in this basket thing?" Henry asked.

Alina rolled her eyes. "Duh, it's a twelve cup, so . . . one scoop for each cup. Bae said to make it strong."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Henry nodded, and he began scooping in the coffee.

Once all the coffee was in, he put on the lid and plugged it in.

The coffee began to perk and after a few minutes Henry peered under the counter and found something else. "Hey, what are these?" he held up a white crinkled thing.

Alina frowned. "Looks like a big muffin paper."

"What do you use them for?"

"I dunno. Maybe if you're making giant cupcakes?" she speculated.

About five minutes later, the coffee stopped perking.

"I think it's done," Henry said.

"Okay. Let's put some in a cup for Papa. Maybe it'll make him feel better," Alina suggested. She poured some coffee into a cup. "Uh . . . Henry? This looks like . . . mud."

"Mud?" he came and looked at the sludge in the mug. "What happened?"

Alina looked totally confused. "Got me."

"How's the coffee coming, kids?" asked Snow. She was dressed in a casual set of white pants, a pink shirt, and a pretty blue scarf.

"Uh . . . Snow? We sort of . . . have a problem," Alina began.

"What kind of problem?" she came and peered at the coffee. "Oh. Umm . . . how much did you put in there?"

"Bae said to make it extra strong so we . . . uh . . . put in twelve scoops," Henry told her blithely.

" _Twelve_ scoops!" Snow started laughing.

"Yeah. One for each cup." Henry said.

"Oh, boy!" Snow was still cracking up.

"But it looks like mud. Papa'll never drink this," Alina predicted.

"Not with how he's feeling," Snow agreed. "Let's just . . . empty this out and I'll show you how to brew a new pot, okay?"

"Sure, Gran," Henry said, smiling.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

Rumple woke to the smell of freshly brewed coffee. It almost made him forget how awful he felt. He opened his eyes and squinted through the soft light filtering through the curtains on the windows of his room. When he was reasonably sure his head wasn't automatically going to roll off his shoulders, he cautiously sat up on the pillows.

When he didn't immediately feel like he was going to toss up his cookies again, he just lolled there, rubbing his temples with his hands.

The aroma of coffee wafted through the door and he inhaled it slowly.

It smelled . . . wonderful.

Just then the door opened and Belle and Emma walked in. Belle had a mug of coffee in her hand.

"Hey, Rumple. I brought you some coffee. Do you think you can . . . drink it?" Belle asked, her blue eyes bright with worry.

"I'll try, dearie. Just put it there."

Belle set it on the nightstand, after clearing away the rest of the glasses with various things in them, except for the water.

"How do you feel, Rumple?" Emma asked.

"I've been better," the sorcerer answered honestly.

Emma nodded. "Bae swears the coffee will help. He's gone to get something that might help your headache. Some Asian thing."

"I know something else that'll help," Rumple said wryly.

"What's that?" asked his daughter-in-law.

"Your gun to my head."

"Rumplestiltskin!" Belle gasped.

Emma winced. "I know what that feels like."

"Emma! Don't encourage him!" Belle cried.

Rumple arched an eyebrow, then winced. "It was a quip, dearie. Sort of." He went to pick up the cup of coffee. His hand shook though, so Belle cupped hers around his and helped him.

He sipped it and sighed in relief when it didn't seem to make his stomach rebel. "That's good." He took another sip, but then after three sips put it down. Then he sipped an equal amount of water. He looked at his wife. "You eat yet, dearie?"

"No, but we were going to see what they had for breakfast downstairs," Belle said.

"You do that. I just need to rest."

"Well, Regina's still asleep, so I can stay here with her and then Bae and I'll get something to eat with her when he gets back," Emma said.

"If you're sure, Emma?" Belle asked.

"Positive. You go and eat with my parents, Henry, and Alina," Emma assured her.

"I'll bring you back some crackers or toast, Rumple," Belle said, placing a kiss on his cheek before she left.

Rumple made a face. "Like I can eat that."

Emma shrugged. "You might . . . if you wait a bit."

"Mind if I . . . ask you something?" Gold queried, a little diffidently.

"Shoot . . . umm . . . I mean . . ."

"How long does it last? This hangover?"

"Depends. Some of mine lasted an entire morning or afternoon. Sometimes, with the really bad ones, they lasted all day," Emma sighed. "Like the one with the tequila shots."

"Oh."

"But sleep usually helps," Emma said. Then she went out, leaving Rumple to sip some more coffee and lay back on the pillows.

He closed his eyes, thankful no one in his family was making smart comments about how idiotic he'd been, drinking one too many on a damn airplane like some lush, and then ending up feeling like he'd been thrown into Dante's inferno. Somewhere there ought to have been a thirteenth circle of hell or whatever for hung over people, he mused. Then he shivered just imagining an eternity with a hangover like this one. _Don't think about it, you jackass. Otherwise you'll puke again and that's the last thing you need._

He tried to think of innocuous things, like flowing water, a gentle breeze, Belle's voice, silk sheets . . . whoa, he was so not going there! Well, not now anyway. He pressed the side of his face into the pillow and half-dozed, a dreamy smile upon his face.

That was how Emma found him twenty minutes later, she'd come in to ask if he'd needed anything else, like a bucket or a towel. She stared at the sleeping sorcerer, her lips quivering. He was smirking lopsidedly in his sleep and she pulled out her cell and took a picture. Then she took another one for good measure, laughing softly. _Aww, Gold! Only you could look cute as a fluffy bunny the morning after!_ She tucked the phone away to show Bae later.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

The suite grew very quiet after the rest of the family had left to go to breakfast. Bored, Emma flipped through channels on the TV, then got up to drink some coffee. While she was in the kitchenette she recalled something else that she used to do when she had a hangover, and found a blue thermal bag and filled it with ice cubes from the little freezer. Thank God this hotel was like luxury class and had such things in it. Though they probably charged twenty dollars just to use the ice cubes, she thought wryly.

Then again, Gold was paying and he didn't give a damn about spending money, one of the perks of the insanely rich.

She carried the ice pack into the bedroom, finding her father-in-law still asleep. Emma carefully placed the ice pack on his forehead.

It flopped over in a most undignified fashion and Emma giggled a little and snapped another picture with her cell before hurrying from the room. It was too funny . . . sort of. The unflappable Rumplestiltskin, hung over like any common mortal.

She left the door slightly ajar in case he woke and needed something. Then she went to sit on the couch and watch TV, but there was nothing on and she fell asleep listening to Good Morning America, chuckling slightly because poor Rumple wouldn't think this morning was good at all and probably throw something at the television.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

Regina woke and slipped out of the big bed and raced into the hall looking for the potty. Finding it, the toddler quickly used the toilet, then came out and looked around. "Mommy? Daddy?"

There was no one here, except Emma asleep on the couch and the TV was on, but there was only boring grown-up shows on, not cartoons like she normally watched. She went and grabbed Sofia off the bed, then came back out and saw Rumple's door half-ajar.

She shoved it open and saw her uncle asleep, with some weird blue thing on his head. "He-ey, Unca Rumple!" she called. "Wake up! It's morning time!"

Rumple thought a banshee had invaded his room. "What the f-?" he bit off the rest of what he almost said when he saw Regina standing there, holding her doll, in her cute ruffled mint green nightgown, her bare toes peeping out from it.

"Ahh . . . God!" he moaned, half sitting up. The ice pack fell on his face, and he picked it up and put it back where it belonged, as it numbed the headache somewhat.

"Whatsamatter, Unca Rumple?" Regina asked curiously.

Rumple winced and put a finger to his lips. "Shhh . . . not so loud, dearie. Uncle doesn't feel good."

"I sorry," the toddler said, her brow puckering as she regarded her relative. The last thing she recalled her uncle doing was singing with her at the airport (she'd fallen asleep soon after reaching the hotel). She walked over to him and crawled on the bed, then leaned over and kissed the suffering sorcerer on the cheek. "There! All better now?"

In spite of himself, Rumple twitched his mouth into a half-smile. "Much, little imp."

Regina grinned at him. "Mommy says kisses make everything better."

"True. Now please . . . don't shout," he remonstrated, for her little voice grated on his too sensitive eardrums.

"Okay. We playin' the quiet game, Unce Rumple?" she whispered.

"Yes. Where's everyone?"

"Dunno. Emma's sleepin', on the couch," she answered.

"Umm . . ." he knew that wasn't good. Regina left to her own devices inevitably spelled trouble with a capital "T". And he sure as hell wasn't up to minding her. Where the hell was David? Or Snow? "Umm . . . okay, Regina. You're gonna play a game with me," he whispered.

"Cool!" she yelled happily, forgetting to whisper.

Rumple felt his headache spike and he bit his lip hard to keep from snarling several words he knew the three-year-old shouldn't say yet. He shut his eyes, willing the terrible pounding of dwarf pickaxes to go away.

When the throbbing subsided from agonizing to a dull ache once more, he whispered, "Shhh . . . no yelling. . . listen . . ."

She cocked her head at him, then put her ear beside his mouth so he could whisper into it.

"We're . . .playing . . . hospital . . . and I'm the patient . . . and . . ."

"But . . . I wanna be sick too . . ." she whined.

"Okay . . . we're both sick and . . . you get to lie here next to me . . ."

"And Mommy'll bring me tea? But I ain't takin' no yucky medicine," she said, scowling. "An' you can't make me!"

"No . . . no . . . you're just going to stay by me . . ." he assured her.

"Okay!" she rolled over next to him, bouncing on the bed.

Rumple prayed he wouldn't throw up, because he felt like he was on a ship. In a storm. About to capsize.

Regina settled next to him and the bed quit rolling.

Rumple thanked God.

"Okay . . ." he whispered. "Now . . . shh . . ."

Regina pretended to sleep . . . for about five minutes. Then she sat up and said, "You done bein' sick now?"

Rumple just groaned pathetically, wondering if this were like being in purgatory for all the sins he'd committed. _Father, forgive me, for I have sinned . . . now please, please, **please** get her to quit talking and just lie here quietly . . .before my head explodes._

A little hand gently patted his cheek. "Unca Rumple?"

He ignored it.

"Unca Rumple?"

He'd pretend he was on a deserted island. Dying of some deadly tropical disease.

"Unca Rumple!" Regina half-screamed right in his ear.

Rumple thought he was seeing stars. He yelled involuntarily. "Dammit, get the hell away from me!" Then he clutched his head and waited to black out. Or at least that's what he wanted to happen. As the room revolved crazily, Rumple prayed the slight nausea he was feeling would leave, because he didn't dare move his head . . . it was sure to crack open and spill what was left of his brains out on the floor.

Somewhere in the distance he heard someone crying. He wasn't sure, but he thought it was Regina. Or maybe it was himself. Though he prayed it wasn't. He'd be a real coward if he was sobbing over a damn alcoholic induced headache.

"Hey, little imp, what's all the fuss over?" Bae said, walking into the suite and the first thing he heard, over the blare of the TV, was Regina howling. Then he realized where the howling was coming from and groaned. "Aww crap!" Tucking a package under his arm, he raced into the bedroom.

He saw Regina kneeling on top of the bed, tears falling like rain down her face, sobbing, "Sorry! I sorry! Don't be mad!"

And his father had his hands clamped to his head, his face screwed in up in agony, whimpering like he was being drawn and quartered.

Bae flinched. He knew exactly why Rumple was like that and he grabbed Regina off the bed and patted her back. "Regina, sweetie, stop crying, okay?"

"Unca Rumple's _mad_ at me! I just want him to get up an' play with me!"

"Listen, imp, Uncle Rumple's sick, he can't play with you."

"Can you?" she sniffled.

"Nope, not right now. Why don't you go wake up Emma? She'll play with you," Bae said, then set the toddler down and gave her a gentle tap on the behind to get her moving out the door.

Two seconds later he heard Regina shouting, "Emma! Rise and shine!"

Bae chuckled wickedly then he sobered when he looked at his father. "Papa?" he whispered. "Papa, it's Bae. I've got you something to help that headache."

Rumple moaned. "Just shoot me. Please?"

"This'll work better," his son said, removing the container of tiger balm from the brown bag. "Just lie still, okay? I'm going to massage it into your temples and on two spots on your forehead and if I can, the back of your neck. It'll help, I promise. I used this in Japan after I drank too much sake one night."

Bae took some of the balm and rubbed it between his hands a little to warm it. Then he knelt beside the bed and gently touched the tips of his fingers to either side of his father's head, massaging delicately in a circular motion. "Relax . . . relax . . . this'll feel really good in about ten seconds . . . I promise . . . breathe, Papa . . . that's it . . ."

Bae continued whispering soothingly while making his fingers dance over Rumple's temples. He worked the balm in by degrees and then moved his hands over the sorcerer's face, touching certain pressure points above the sinuses and on the forehead, using techniques taught to him by his Japanese martial arts master, who had also known acupuncture. Bae didn't know how to do that, but he knew about pressure points and massage.

"Shoulda done this last night . . ." he murmured. "I'm sorry I didn't . . ." He continued working the balm in and then rubbing circles on Rumple's temples.

Gradually, Rumple felt the crushing pressure in his skull recede. He could almost think again, and it was such a relief he gasped. "Bae . . . oh God . . . Bae . . ."

"You okay, Papa? I'm not . . . hurting you, right?" he didn't think so, but still . . .

"No . . . pain's . . . not bad . . ." Rumple managed, for with the throbbing lessened by whatever his son was doing, his queasy stomach was settling.

Relieved, Bae continued rubbing, and soon the astringent scent of the tiger balm filled the room. "How's that? Better, right? Okay, now I'm gonna sit you up, just a bit . . . you can lean on my shoulder . . . so I can do the back of your neck."

Bae gently helped Rumple sit up, and let the older man lean on his shoulder, almost like Rumple was hugging him, while he tucked his father's hair off to the side and scooped up more balm and massaged the back of his neck. "Damn . . . you're so tense . . . no wonder that headache's lingering . . ."

Rumple just put his head down on his son's shoulder and let him work whatever magic he was doing, too sick to fight the pain any more, or worry about his tattered pride now.

Bae touched a few more points along Rumple's neck and shoulders, easing the tension dramatically. After he'd worked in the balm, which had several ingredients in it to relax and soothe inflammed muscles and clear blocked sinuses and work with the body's natural meridians to heal, he helped Rumple lie back against the pillows.

"Okay. How's that feel? Better?"

Rumple blinked, able suddenly to focus now without pain. "Bae . . . whatever you did . . . it's like magic . . . my headache's . . . almost gone . . ."

Bae grinned. "Thank God, right? And that's my magic . . . not bad, huh?"

Rumple clasped Bae's hand. "Thank you . . .I feel like a human being again . . ."

"I'm glad," Bae said sincerely. "I don't know why I didn't think of that sooner."

"I don't know why I was so stupid and drank too much," his father muttered.

"Hey, we've all done it. More than once, in my case," Bae admitted. "But you live and learn, right?"

Rumple nodded. "I am never doing that again."

"Want some coffee?" his son asked.

"Sure. And tell Regina to come here . . . I think I snapped at her . . ."

"Will do. But I think she's fine now. I can hear her singing something about Rice Krispies to Emma," Bae laughed. "Oh, by the way, this guy wants to record you singing Danny Boy, Papa."

"What? Bae, I don't sing in public!"

"Uh . . . you did when we got off the plane. You might not remember it, but . . . you were singing," Bae chuckled. "I recorded it on my phone."

"You _what_?"

"Just kidding," his son smirked. "But hey, maybe you've got a future as a singing sorcerer."

"Oh, you're a riot."

"Be right back."

Soon his son returned with a fresh cup of black coffee and Regina in tow.

"Unca Rumple, I sorry I screamed in your ear," she said contritely.

"I know, dearie. And I'm sorry I bellowed at you."

"Are you still sick?"

"I'm getting better."

"Are you gonna get up soon?"

"In a little bit. And maybe I'll have some toast."

"Bae says one day we're gonna go to this big toy store. Like the biggest ever!"

"That we are, dearie. And when we do, I'll buy you something. Deal?"

"Deal!" she said, then she shook his hand. Then she climbed up on the bed and curled up next to him. "Love you, Unca Rumple."

"Love you too, dearie," he replied, and put an arm around her. Then he drank the coffee his son had brought, feeling better by the minute, and thanking God for his brilliant boy.


	4. The Trouble With T-Rexes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They go to the Museum of Natural History and something comes alive

By the time the rest of the family had returned from eating breakfast, Rumple was feeling well enough to get up and sit at the small table in the kitchenette and drink his coffee along with another glass of water. He was now dressed in one of his more casual Saville Row gray trousers and crimson shirt, with a Ferragamo gold tie, his cufflinks glinting on his wrists. Belle had asked the kitchen staff to send up some food for Rumple, and Bae and Emma were going to go downstairs to eat with Regina, but the toddler wanted eat breakfast with Rumple instead, so they ordered chocolate chip pancakes and sausage for her with milk from room service and let the two newlyweds go down while the rest of them stayed in the suite.

"That breakfast was like awesome," Henry said to Rumple, sitting across from him while Gold ate his whole grain toast, some pieces of fruit, and a cup of Greek yogurt. "I had this waffle the size of that plate," he pointed to the plate of fruit. "And this lady put cinnamon sugar and whipped cream all over it with cinnamon syrup it was like the best thing ever!"

Rumple managed a smile at his grandson's enthusiasm. "I'm glad you're enjoying your vacation so far, Henry."

"Me too," Alina said, her brown eyes shining. "I had this omelet that was almost as good as Alice's, with something called pork roll and cheese and these yummy potatoes that crunched when you ate them. And French vanilla coffee too!" She eyed her father and then asked, "You're not sick anymore, are you, Papa? Was it something you ate on the plane?"

"Umm . . . yes . . ." Rumple said, feeling himself flush and thanking God his daughter was too young to know exactly why he was sick. "And I feel much better now, Alina."

Regina squealed in delight when she saw her pancakes. "Look! They gots smiley-faces on 'em!" she showed everyone at the table her child-sized pancakes, which did have smiley faces on them done in whipped cream. They also had cut up the sausage in pieces and added a banana as well at Snow's insistence. Her little container of milk had a curly straw in it.

"That's so cool!" Alina grinned at her small "cousin".

"Now you're going to sit here and eat them, right, Regina?" Snow said, coming up and tying a dishcloth around the toddler's neck so she wouldn't get syrup on her nightgown.

Regina looked up at her mom and asked, "Mommy, why don't my pancakes home have faces on them?"

"Umm . . . because these are New York pancakes," Snow said. "But I'm sure we can ask daddy to make some like this when we get home."

Regina turned and called out to Charming, "Daddy, when we get home you gotta make my pancakes with faces on 'em, okay?"

"Sure, princess. But you'd better sit down and eat those before they get cold," David said.

"I'll cut them for you," Snow said, and grabbed a knife and a fork off the breakfast tray and did so. Then she handed Regina the fork.

Regina began to eat. As she did so, she looked over at her uncle, who now seemed more like his usual self, and prattled, "Lookit, Unca Rumple! I just ate the smiley face's eye."

"Was it good, dearie?" Rumple asked, slowly nibbling on some fruit.

"Yum!" she said, then she stabbed another piece with her fork and said, "I share some. Here, eat it!"

"No, you eat it, dearie," Rumple said. He shuddered to think what havoc syrup would wreak on his system right then. "I'm good with my toast and fruit and yogurt."

"But it's yummy!"

"I'm sure it is. Now you have it. But thank you for sharing," he told her, knowing it was important to reinforce positive behavior in small children, which he'd done with Alina and Bae also.

Regina promptly offered some to Henry and Alina, both of whom told her thanks, but they were full. Then she called to Snow, "Mommy, you want some?"

So Snow ate a bite, then said, "Now you eat the rest, baby girl."

"Dontcha want more?" Regina asked.

"Not right now. It was so good, I'm all full," Snow said. "Now let me see what a big girl you are and eat four bites for me."

Sometimes Regina ate well and other times, like now, she wanted to play with her food.

"Okay. I count them," the toddler said, and did so as she ate. When she reached four she said, "I'm all done!"

"How about eating some of your sausage? It's lonely," Snow urged.

In this way she got the toddler to eat most of her breakfast and drink her milk.

By the time Bae and Emma returned, raving about some kind of crepes with peanut butter and Nutella, Regina was dressed in a cute pair of flowered pants and a long sleeved blue top with a rainbow on it and her light-up Reeboks.

"Emma! Henry says there's a game room with cool games in it!" the toddler yelled, grabbing her sister about the legs.

"There is, chatterbox!" Emma smirked, picking her up. "But . . . we can go to play at the arcade later. Don't you want to go to the museum first and see all the cool extinct animals, like the dinosaurs and the mastodons or whatever they're called?"

"Yeah! I wanna see the T-Rex, Emma!"

"We figured we could do the Museum of Natural History today," Bae said to the rest of them. "Papa, you up to doing it? We don't have to do it all in one day, but maybe just a few exhibits? They've got plenty of benches and stuff if you need to rest."

"I'll be fine, Bae," Rumple assured him.

"Okay, whenever you're ready, we'll hit the Museum," his son said. "You'll really like it, there's tons of exhibits to see and a whole gift shop with some neat things in it. Like antiques and stuff."

"Rrrowwr!" Regina growled and pretended to chomp Bae's arm. "I'm a T-rex and I'm gonna eat you up!"

Bae pretended to shrink from her, crying, "No! Emma, quick, shoot it before I'm dinosaur chow!"

Emma pulled out her "gun" and aimed her finger at her small sister. "Bam!"

Regina promptly flopped over on the carpet. "I died!" she shrilled. Then she bounced back to her feet and ran over to Snow and pretended to "eat" her.

Snow went and called Charming for help, who picked up his daughter and began to tickle her. "Mmm . . . I've got a squirmy wriggly girl here and I'm going to crunch her all up!" He pretended to nibble on her tummy, making her laugh hysterically.

"Help! Henry! Alina! Come and save me!" Regina giggled and tried to get away.

So Henry and Alina came to try and rescue her, shooting "fake" bolts of magic and throwing the small pillows off the couch at David.

"It's no use!" Henry cried to Alina. "The man-eating monster's too strong for us!"

"Oh, no!" she yelped, playing along. "Help! Help! We're dying! Who can save us?"

"I know! I know!" Regina crowed. "Unca Rumple!"

"Me?" Rumple cried, in mock-surprise.

"Yeah! Turn him into a slug!" the little girl yelled, squirming in David's grip.

"No! Anything but that!" Charming pretended to cower away from Rumple.

"Anybody who attacks my family deserves what he gets," Rumple mock-growled, and twitched his finger. "One slug sandwich coming up, dearie."

David released Regina and sank down onto the floor. "I'm done for," he groaned dramatically.

Regina jumped up and down. "Whoo hoo!"

"Don't look now, but you've been . . . transmogrified," Henry began.

"Terrified, and totally utterly—" Alina continued, then gestured to Regina.

"Stiltskinified!" Regina shouted. "Cause Unca Rumple kicks everybody's butt!"

"Got that right, dearie," chuckled her uncle.

David sat up and said, somewhat indignantly, "What is this? The Rumplestiltskin fan club?"

Rumple shrugged, and gave Charming a slightly smug smirk. "Hey, dearie, if you've got it, flaunt it."

Charming rolled his eyes. "Yeah, uh huh. Sure." He climbed to his feet.

"Don't pout, darling," Snow cooed, coming and putting her arms about her husband. "You're still _my_ hero." Then she kissed him.

"Gran, get a room!" Henry groaned, rolling his eyes. "My virgin eyes!"

He turned around, only to see Belle kissing Rumple. "What _is_ it with this family and PDA's?" he asked Alina.

"True love," she replied and then she started giggling at Henry's expression.

"Okay, let's head on out, guys," Emma said. "Before we get stuck on the subway."

"Cool! We get to go on the subway," her son cheered, forgetting about his romantic grandparents.

"Regina, go get your jacket, honey," Snow told her.

"Kay, Mom!" and the toddler raced back into the bedroom to pick it up.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

The trip on the subway was short, only twelve minutes. Alina and Henry looked out the window the entire time, reading the signs as they went past. Snow and Belle were looking at the schedule, wondering what other places they could go to tomorrow, and marveling at how everything was so **fast** in Manhattan. Emma and Bae were arguing about the best place to go clubbing and Regina was bouncing up and down on Rumple's lap excitedly.

"Easy there, dearie," Rumple cautioned. "You don't want to wreck my other leg, now do you?"

"Aww, you can take it Gold," David snorted. "You're like an enchanted superhero."

"Yeah, that's _my_ Unce Rumple!" Regina said, and threw her arms about Rumple's neck and kissed his cheek.

"Aww, how sweet!" an elderly lady sitting across from them cooed.

Charming rolled his eyes. "I swear to God, it's like a spell or something. Hey, how about me, Regina?"

She turned to look at him. "You're just Daddy. But you can have a kiss too!" she said generously, and jumped over to him and kissed him too.

"Boy, do I feel loved now," David muttered, hugging her.

"Oh, quit grousing, Nolan. I'm her hero for an hour, you're her papa, and her hero for life. Trust me on that. I know little girls," Rumple said softly, and indicated Alina.

David looked mollified by that sincere statement, and smiled down on his daughter as she relaxed against him.

All too soon, they had reached their stop and disembarked and walked about half a block to the museum.

The first thing they saw when they entered the museum lobby was the huge skeleton of the Tyrannosaurus Rex standing on the platform before the circulation desk. As Emma went and handed in their tickets and got some brochures and discount coupons for the museum gift shop and lunch at the museum café, Regina, Henry, and Alina stared up at the ancient skeleton.

"Could you imagine what this guy looked like when it was alive?" Alina said.

"Yeah. Scary," her nephew replied. "I mean, it wasn't called the Tyrant King Lizard for nothing. Look at how big its jaws are. It could like eat your papa's Cadillac for a snack."

"Yup. And we'd be like appetizers," Alina agreed.

"How come it's just standing there?" Regina wanted to know.

"Well, because it's just bones now," Henry explained. "It's dead."

"Can it come to life?"

"No, thank goodness," Alina said. "Otherwise we'd all be in trouble."

"Like run for your lives trouble?" Regina queried.

"Oh, yeah," Henry said. "But don't worry about it, Regina. He's dead, and can't come to life."

The little girl looked disappointed. But then the life-sized wax statue of Teddy Roosevelt, the founder of the museum and the former president of the United States, mounted on his horse Little Texas, caught her eye.

She ran over to it, pointing. "Hey! Lookit this, Henry!"

As the kids went over to examine him, Snow spoke with one of the tour guides, and soon the Golds found themselves joining a group of twelve other people and being led through the famous Ancient Worlds Exhibits, which included ancient Egypt and Greece and Rome.

As they passed the many artifacts in the Egyptian era, including a black basalt statue of Bast with golden earrings in its ears, Regina scrambled out of Snow's arms and pointed to it. "Look! It's Nala!"

"Yeah , it does look like her, doesn't it?" Alina smiled.

"Is she home alone, Alina?" Regina asked, looking worried.

"No, dearie, she's with Archie and Pongo," Rumple reassured her.

"We'd never leave her home alone," Belle added. "Not while we're on vacation, anyway."

She was fascinated with the process of making paper using papyrus and the way the Egyptians used hieroglyphics to write down everything. Their tour guide showed them cartouches and explained how to read one, and told them how scribes were considered very important people in Egyptian society.

"Sounds like you'd fit right in there, Belle," Emma said.

Rumple was fascinated with how they made linen and cloth and also the process of embalming the dead.

Charming and Bae enjoyed hearing about the various weapons and hunting techniques used, including hunting with sight hounds and even cheetahs.

There was a model of an Egyptian boat which Emma found fascinating.

So did Regina, though when she tried to touch it, David gently restrained her. "Ah ah, no touching, Regina. It's not a toy."

"But Daddy, I wanna play with it!"

"You can't. But maybe we can find one like it for you to play with in the gift shop."

She considered this, then said, "When we goin' there?"

"Later. Now let's look at all the pretty jewelry over here," he indicated a glass case full of glittering golden jeweled collars that the pharaohs and their queens wore. "Look, isn't this beautiful? Wouldn't Mommy look pretty in this?"

"Yeah! We need to get her one, Daddy," Regina stated.

"Uh . . . well, maybe for Christmas . . ." Charming chuckled.

They walked through many other exhibits, looking at statues, pottery, clothes, models of houses and temples and other fascinating things.

The tour guide was excellent, encouraging the group to answer questions and participate in discussions, she was lively and animated and seemed particularly impressed by Belle, Alina, and Henry, who had read several books on ancient civilizations before coming to Manhattan.

"I should tell my boss to hire you three," she laughed. "Want a job?"

Belle chuckled. "Sorry, but I'm already employed. I run the town library."

"Oh! No wonder you know all these facts already," the tour guide, a young woman in her twenties with a pleasant face and medium length blond hair, said.

"Well, I've always been a bookworm," Belle admitted. "Actually, my whole family reads," she gestured to them.

"We've even got an aunt who's an author," Henry told her. "So it like runs in our family."

"How wonderful! It's great to see a family who emphasizes the importance of history and the written word nowadays. So many kids get caught up in all these electronic things, like video games and the Internet, and they spend all their time pushing buttons instead of turning pages."

"Not in our house," Alina remarked. "The only computer in it's my papa's," she indicated Gold. "And he only uses it for business. And I have a Nook, but I use it to read, mostly."

"Books are the cornerstone of civilization," Belle remarked.

"Then you're going to love our sixteenth century exhibit, with the first printing press and all," the tour guide, whose name was Julie, said. "This way, folks. Now we're going to go way back in time here, before humans were even on earth, to the time of the dinosaurs!"

Then she led them down some stairs and through a long hall to the Hall of the Dinosaurs.

Everyone was examining all the fossils and exhibits, exclaiming over the life-like settings and some of the realistic-looking models.

"Wow! Look at the size of that brontosaurus, Regina!" Snow exclaimed, pointing to the huge skeleton, which took up almost the entire room. "He's like bigger than three buses." She glanced down, surprised not to hear her daughter's eager voice asking questions. "Regina? David, did she come over by you?"

Charming looked up from reading a card about a pteranodon and shook his head. "No. Check with Henry and Alina. They're over there, looking at the velociraptors."

But when she glanced over at that exhibit, Snow didn't see Regina with them either. Or with Belle, who was reading about a stegosaurus.

Emma, Bae, and Gold were all clustered about the archaeopteryx exhibit, staring at the model of a type of winged lizard with bird feathers, sort of a cross between an avian and a reptile, the precursor to today's birds. No Regina there either.

Starting to grow nervous, Snow walked rapidly about the room and called softly, "Regina! Come here. You know you're not supposed to wander away like this."

She tried to see if the intrepid toddler were hiding behind an exhibit or something, knowing Regina's penchant for finding small spaces to hide in.

Not finding her child anywhere, she started to panic, imagining Regina wandering about lost and frightened. She ran up to where Rumple, Bae, and Emma were and whispered, "Have any of you seen Regina? Because I . . . can't find her all of a sudden."

"Okay, don't panic," Emma said. "We'll start looking."

She and Bae split up, going to look in opposite corners of the hall, while Gold limped about the main exhibits with Snow, who was trying very hard to keep herself together.

"Hey, don't worry, dearie. I went through this with Alina once in the supermarket," Gold soothed. "We'll find her, I'm sure of it."

"Where could she be?" Snow asked. "I mean, she was right by me, holding my hand just before we stopped to look at the brontosaurus."

Soon Charming, Henry, and Alina joined them.

"Maybe she went to find a bathroom?" Alina thought. "I can go check, there's one right outside in the hallway."

"I'll go with you," Belle said, not wanting another child to go missing.

While they checked the bathroom, Henry and David went out and up the hallway to see if anyone had seen a little girl wandering about.

"Regina!" David called. "Where are you?"

"Maybe she went back into the other room?" Henry suggested. "With the mummies and stuff? She really liked those."

"How? She couldn't reach the door and open it," David pointed out. "No, she had to have gone someplace that didn't require a door to be opened."

They continued up the ramp leading to the museum entrance, following the dinosaur prints of the T-Rex painted on the floor.

Back in the Hall of Dinosaurs, a frantic Snow had alerted Julie about her missing toddler, and Julie had called security on her walkie talkie, and started Code Adam procedures.

Gold gently drew Snow aside and whispered, "If they can't find her in about five minutes, I'll use my magic to locate her."

"Can . . . can you do that?" Snow gasped.

"Certainly. It'll only take about a minute."

"Then please, Rumple, do it now!" Snow cried. "She could be . . . kidnapped!"

Rumple went to bring his wrists together and rub his cufflinks when he stiffened.

"What's wrong?" Snow demanded.

"I . . . sense the presence of magic," he muttered.

"Here? In the museum?"

"Yes. It feels . . . almost like . . . someone's using . . . fairy dust," the sorcerer frowned.

"There are fairies here in New York?"

"I wouldn't think so, dearie, but . . ."

It was then that they heard the screams and yelling.

"What on earth?" Bae cried, looking around. "It sounds like there's a riot or something."

"It's coming from that way," Emma said, and raced out of the room.

Charming and Henry were soon joined by Belle and Alina and together they raced up the ramp to see what all the shouting was about.

When they reached the top of the ramp, and the entrance to the museum, they saw groups of people running to and fro, screaming hysterically, petrified, as the gigantic skeleton of Tyrannosaurus Rex was stalking people, snapping at anyone it could reach, and smashing things with its huge feet and tail.

Henry gaped at the scene before him. "Oh my God! It's come to life!"

People stampeded past them, and Charming grabbed his grandson and Belle pulled Alina over to a corner and they huddled there while screeching people raced past them, trying to avoid the dinosaur rampaging through the museum entrance.

Security guards were shouting and trying to hit it with their billy clubs to no avail and some museum workers were crouched under part of the circulation desk frantically dialing the cops on their cell phones.

"I'm telling you—this isn't a prank!" one worker screamed. "There's a damn T-Rex running loose over here stepping all over people! It's put a hole in the wall and knocked some guy right across the hall. No, I'm not drunk or on LSD!"

"How is this possible?" Charming cried. "It was dead! Bones can't come to life!"

"Uh . . . Gramps," Henry pulled Charming's jacket. "They can if you use magic."

"Who's using magic?" Belle asked, ducking as a piece of plaster flew past them and shattered against the wall.

"Uh . . . it's coming from over there," Alina said, also sensing it. She pointed to where the statue of Teddy Roosevelt was located.

" _Teddy Roosevelt_ brought the T-Rex to _life_?" gasped Belle.

"No, Grammy. That would be Regina," Henry pointed out. "See? She's standing right under him . . . with . . . a wand."

Sure enough, Belle could now see the toddler, crouched beneath the horse, a glittering blue wand clutched in her fist, which was emitting glowing sparkles of fairy dust.

"Oh . . . my . . . God!" Charming groaned. "Regina, what have you done?"

"Looks like she's stolen a wand from one of the nuns, dearie," Rumple said, appearing next to them.

"Or your shop," David began accusingly.

"Not me. I keep all my magical wands locked up," Gold pointed out.

"Who cares?" Belle cried. "Just . . . do something, Rumple! Because otherwise we're about to become toast!"

Rumple looked up . . . only to see the T-Rex barreling towards them, mouth agape, searching for more prey to hunt down, its eye sockets glowing with a dreadful red light, like some hellish nightmare come to tear them to pieces.

And between it and them stood only one middle-aged (kind of) pawnbroker.

Until he clicked his cufflinks together and magic flowed from his fingertips, slamming into the T-Rex and knocking it flying across the room.

As it crashed into the wall in a clattering of bones and broken chunks of plaster, a little voice squeaked, "Go, Unca Rumple! Kick that T-Rex's butt!"

Gold scowled and pushed up the sleeves of his jacket, muttering, "You're in serious trouble, young lady. As soon as I deal with this reanimated carcass."

Then he moved further into the room, magic surging through him, as the T-Rex suddenly put itself back together and charged him, screaming a battle cry.


	5. Lights, Camera, Action

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumple fights the T-Rex

Belle watched, her heart in her throat, as her husband moved to challenge the reanimated dinosaur. It was like watching something out of a horror flick. Except this was real, and her beloved was in grave danger . . . and so were the many other visitors to the museum. She looked at Charming. "We need to get the rest of these people out of here."

"And we need to get Regina, before something falls on her!" Snow yelped, coming up the ramp to stand next to David.

"Okay. Here's what we're gonna do," Charming yelled in his I'm-a-prince-now-listen-up voice. "I'm going to get Regina, and Snow, you and Belle try and get as many people as you can out of here."

Just then the T-Rex _leaped_ at Rumple, using its huge hind legs to propel itself at the sorcerer from across the room.

"Rumple!" shrieked Belle.

"Grandpa!" Henry howled.

"Papa!" Alina screamed.

"Unca Rumple!" wailed Regina.

Rumple lifted his hands, conjuring as quickly as he could . . . and the Tyrannosaurus slammed into his purple shield.

The giant fossil nearly crushed Rumple into the floor, the shield buckling under the bag of bones' great weight.

As his horrified family looked on, Rumple quickly blinked himself away, reappearing on the other side of the room.

"Go! Go! Quickly!" Charming yelled as soon as he saw that Rumple wasn't T-Rex toe jam yet.

Snow and Belle ran over to where some people were frozen between the circulation desk and the exit and called to them, "Hey! You need to leave now! You're in the way!" Snow cried.

"Right, because the movie they're filming is a live action adventure flick!" Belle called, making up the first thing that came into her head. "Aren't those CGI animations amazing, Mary Margaret?"

Catching on, Snow nodded. "Incredible! The things they can do with computers these days!"

"You mean . . . it's not real?" babbled one old lady.

"It's a movie?"

"That's right, folks! Now just clear out here so the professionals can work," Snow urged, chivying the reluctant people out the door.

"Who's starring in it?"

Belle pointed over to Rumple, who was lifting his hands in preparation for another spell. "That's my husband. Isn't he wonderful? You can catch it all on the big screen in about a year. Now move outside, you're blocking the computers."

"Where are the cameras, lady?"

"Behind a wall, screened," Belle answered, helping an elderly man out the entrance.

"What's it called?" asked a kid.

"Umm . . . it's called . . ." for a moment Belle went blank.

"The Trouble with T-Rexes!" Snow shouted. "It's a fantasy film about this kid who conjures up a T-Rex by mistake with a magic wand and her pawnbroker uncle has to stop it with some magic he inherited from a Japanese martial master."

"Sounds really cool!" the kid said.

Belle stared at Snow. "How are you coming up with this stuff?" she whispered.

Snow shrugged. "The best kind of lies are ones based on the truth."

Meanwhile, back in the museum, Rumple cut loose with a quick one-two strike of purple lightning and a glittering energy ball. He didn't want to use fire because he didn't want to risk burning anyone by mistake, and the energy ball was more concentrated and packed a bigger wallop.

The glowing ball and lightning smacked the dinosaur hard in the chest and the head, sending the T-Rex tumbling backwards, sliding into the circulation desk with a loud crunch.

Chunks of plaster flew everywhere, some of them striking the wall where Henry and Alina were crouched, and a huge piece struck Teddy Roosevelt, shoving the wax figure hard and almost causing it to topple over.

Regina, crouching beneath the figure, began to scream, scared now of all the tumult going on around her, but too frightened to move. "Help! Help! Daddy! Help!"

"I'm coming, Regina! Don't move!" Charming yelled, then he bolted from where he was in the corner and ran like a man possessed across the room towards his small daughter beneath the statue.

The T-Rex was getting to its feet again, screaming in rage, just as Emma and Bae came around the corner, having taken a set of stairs the long way around from the Hall of Dinosaurs.

"Holy crap!" Emma gasped.

"Tell me we didn't just stumble into a remake of Jurassic Park!" Bae groaned when he saw the T-Rex rearing up beside the circulation desk.

"Well, that explains the screaming and running," Emma said.

Then Bae spotted Rumple, slowly backing up, his hands shooting ribbons of magical energy. "Aww, hells! Papa, what are you doing?"

"Looks like he's trying to hurt it," Emma remarked helpfully.

The T-Rex shot its head down, trying to grab Rumple in its jaws.

Rumple dodged, or tried to. But his bad leg gave way, and he crumpled to the ground.

**Page~*~*~*~*~*~Break**

Charming reached Regina just as the statue of Teddy Roosevelt started falling.

He launched himself at the little girl, grabbing her in his arms and rolling quickly across the floor just as Roosevelt and Little Texas toppled to the ground with a loud thump.

Charming held Regina in a death grip, crying, "You okay, baby? Don't cry. Daddy's got you. You're safe with me."

Regina's small arms wound around his neck and she clutched him for dear life, nearly dropping the wand, but at the last moment she retained her grip on it. "Daddy! I scared!"

"It's gonna be okay," David soothed, getting to his feet and running out the door, figuring if he could get Regina away from the T-Rex, maybe the thing would go back to sleep or whatever now that the wand wasn't in the same room. "Uncle Rumple's gonna go all bad-ass on that dinosaur and kick it straight to hell." At least that's what he _hoped_ would happen.

As he emerged into the bright sunlight, he saw Snow and Belle speaking to some people milling about, telling them about the wonderful new CGI graphics and the movie being shot right there in the museum and admired their quick thinking. Then he grabbed the wand away from Regina and stuck it in his pocket before something else happened.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

"No! _Papa!_ " the cry was torn from Bae's throat, a harsh wail of denial as he saw his father go down, and the giant fossilized zombie or whatever it was go to rip him apart.

He grabbed the first thing that was near to hand, a section of the railing that used to surround the circulation desk, and threw it hard at the monstrous T-Rex.

It smashed into the side of its neck, and the thing screamed and turned its head about to face whatever had struck it.

While it was distracted, Henry conjured a purple shield over Rumple, while Alina cried, "Cover me, Henry!"

"Where are you going?" he yelled.

"To help my papa!" she yelled, then she sprinted as quickly as she could across the floor, sliding the last few feet to Rumple as if she was trying to get to home plate and thanking her years as a softball player for that move.

She scrambled to her knees and put her hands on Rumple's leg. "Papa!"

"Alina!" he cried, his face twisted in pain. "Get the hell out of here!"

"Not till you do!" she argued, then she closed her eyes and called upon her power. It flowed in a rush out of her hands, a soothing brilliant violet wave that healed and restored what had been broken and torn so long ago.

Gold gasped as he felt his daughter's magic enter him, fill him, and make him whole again.

Suddenly the agonizing pain in his leg was gone and he sprang to his feet, dragging Alina with him. "My God, are you _insane?_ You risked your life to heal me?"

Her arms went round his waist and she murmured, "Okay, ground me later. Now let's move!"

He clicked his cufflinks together again, giving himself another magical boost and blinked away with his daughter, moving back towards the entrance of the museum.

As soon as Henry saw the two magicians were safely away from the T-Rex, he dropped his shield and conjured two things.

One was a staff, the other a glowing sword.

"Mom! Dad! Catch!" he yelled, and the staff and sword blinked from his hands and into Bae's and Emma's, as he sent them to his parents.

Emma found herself holding a glowing scimitar and Bae a glowing six foot staff just as the T-Rex charged them.

The savior and her warrior husband dodged the great thunder lizard, and the mighty T-Rex's tail lashed out as it ran past, forcing Bae to leap into the air to avoid being crushed.

"Hell, Emma! Watch the damn tail!" he yelped, landing on his feet and smacking the T-Rex hard with his staff in the ribs. "Hai! Take that, Barney!"

"Bae! Let's tag team the beast, like we did with Mal!" Emma shouted, rolling beneath the behemoth's foot and slamming her sword into its toe, lopping off some of the bony protrusion.

"Okay! Right and left, wild swan!" He called, moving around the beast to the right, while Emma circled to the left.

Meanwhile, Rumple was telling Henry and Alina to get out of the museum and leave the fighting to the adults. "Go! Right now!"

"Grandpa, you might need our help!" Henry argued.

"Papa, you only have so much magic stored in your cufflinks. Let us help!" Alina snapped.

"You listen to me, Alina Rose!" Gold shouted, shaking her. "I have plenty of magic left to defeat this thing. Now you just do as I say—both of you—and get the hell out of here! No arguments! Just _go_!"

He practically picked up both younger sorcerers with his magic and threw them out of the museum, terrified they would try and help and end up dying doing so. And that he could never live with.

Now that his leg was healed, he was able to move normally, and he did, vaulting up onto what remained of the circulation desk and throwing another magical bolt at the screeching T-Rex.

"HEY! Godzilla! Over here, you ugly-ass zombie reject!" Rumple bellowed.

The T-Rex swung its massive head about, its eye sockets glowing with hellish red light.

"Yeah, I'm talking to you! Come and get me!"

The dinosaur lunged, mouth agape.

But Rumple was no longer there, having augmented his now healed legs to propel him into the air . . . as he flew like Peter Pan straight up towards the ceiling, glowing with eldritch fire.

With the T-Rex distracted, Emma and Baelfire attacked it relentlessly, using their skill with sword and staff to crush and slash the skeleton, crunching the old bones with lightning quick strokes.

Emma lopped off an arm while Bae smashed in its ribcage, both hits doing some pretty serious damage.

As the T-Rex shuddered and screamed in rage, its tail lashing out wildly, Rumple put his hands together and concentrated hard. Without the wand spitting fairy dust and refreshing the animation spell, it was weakening. The master magician could see the magic binding it slowly starting to fade.

But not fast enough for Rumple, who was determined to send the monster back to sleep before it caused any more destruction and hurt Emma or Bae.

Using his Sorcerer's Sight, he targeted the glittering "heart" of the skeleton, which pulsed in invisible beats in its upper chest. Then he struck, sending a sharp pulse of magic straight through it while chanting, "By my Power and my Name, I unbind thee! Be thou _dust_!"

The violet pulse hit the "heart" dead center . . . and it exploded . . . and so did the skeleton . . . sending small shards of bone flying everywhere as it collapsed.

One such shard hit Emma in the head, cutting her forehead and knocking her down.

A piece of rib struck Bae's left arm, and he yelled as it snapped in two. Clutching it, he went to one knee, gritting his teeth.

When the dust settled, there were bones scattered all over the floor amid the wreckage of the museum and Rumple drifted slowly to the floor. "You two okay?" he called as soon as he touched the ground.

"Umm . . . I just got a cut on my head," Emma said, and concentrated, healing it.

"I broke my damn arm again, Papa," Bae said through clenched teeth.

"The same one you did before?" Rumple queried, coming over to his son.

"Yup. A piece of bone smacked into it right where I broke it when I was eight," his son said.

"Let me see, Bae," Rumple said gently.

"Papa, it's broken, trust me," Bae said.

"And I can heal it, unlike last time," Rumple reassured him. He set a hand on his son's wrist. "I'll need to pull it straight though. But first let me numb it." He sent a pulse of power through Bae's arm, numbing all the nerve endings. "Emma, I need you to hold his shoulders while I pull."

Emma came over and grasped Bae's shoulders. "You sure you know what you're doing, Gold?"

Rumple nodded. "I've learned a few things in three hundred years, dearie. Ready?" He took hold of Bae's arm, putting a hand on his upper arm and then his lower one. "On three. One. . . two . . . three."

Rumple tugged hard, aligning the two pieces of bone.

Emma winced when she heard the bone snap into place. "Oh God. Does it hurt?"

"No," her husband said. "I can't feel anything. Unlike the last time."

Rumple passed his hand over Bae's arm, healing it instantly. "There we go, Bae. How's that feel?"

"I don't know," Bae said honestly.

Rumple removed the numbing spell. "Okay. How about now?"

Bae flexed his arm experimentally. "It's good. Thanks, Papa."

"You're welcome. Thank you for helping me."

"How did this . . . thing happen?" asked Emma curiously.

"Regina stole a wand from one of the nuns and reanimated the T-Rex skeleton," Rumple said.

"How? I thought she didn't have access to her magic any longer?" Emma wanted to know.

"When I regressed her, I put her talent to sleep, but that doesn't mean she doesn't bear the seeds of it within her," Rumple explained. "And even a latent magically talented person can use a magic item. The magic's in the wand, not her, but she can channel it . . . and she did."

"Oh, great," Emma sighed. "What about the museum? How are we going to explain what happened here? It's a wreck."

"Maybe we won't have to, dearie," Rumple said.

"What do you mean?" asked Bae.

"I mean we need to fix it."

"How?" asked Emma.

"Magic, dearie. What magic broke, magic can fix. It's time I taught you a new spell. Do you remember watching the Sorcerer's Apprentice?"

"That Disney flick where Mickey Mouse puts on that hat and summons all those mops and brooms and stuff?" Emma frowned.

"That's it. Well, this spell is sort of the same, only it's going to do twice what that hat did . . .okay, Emma, I need you to concentrate hard and remember the way the circulation desk and the lobby was before the T-Rex trashed it," Gold instructed. "Get it set in your mind . . . then will it to return to that state. I'll do the same with the T-Rex and the Roosevelt statue and the ceiling."

Emma did as he'd said, praying she could cast the spell.

Rumple concentrated and suddenly the T-Rex reassembled itself and so did the statue of Roosevelt, which had cracked in two from falling over. The cracks in the ceiling mended itself as well.

Bae watched in awe as green light flowed across the circulation desk and the lobby, fixing whatever had been smashed and broken, restoring it to its proper state.

In about five minutes the museum lobby was returned to its former pristine appearance, with Teddy Roosevelt on his horse and the T-Rex on its pedestal.

"God, it looks like nothing ever happened in here," Bae whistled. "Great job, Emma! You too, Papa."

Emma opened her eyes. "I did it!"

"Of course you did," Rumple said. "You can do almost anything if you focus and believe hard enough, dearie." He gave her a nod of approval.

Emma felt like she had won the lottery. Rumple was not an easy man to impress and praise from him was hard won sometimes. She glanced around and said, "But how do we explain what just went on here to everyone who saw it?"

"Hmm . . . we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Rumple sighed.

"Meaning you don't know," Bae translated.

Rumple knelt and retrieved his cane from the floor.

"Hey, I just noticed . . . you're not limping," Emma said.

"That's right. Alina came and healed me during the battle," Rumple said.

"She fixed your leg?" Bae repeated, stunned.

"Yes. So I don't really need this, but I don't want to leave it lying here," Rumple said as they walked towards the doors.

"I didn't know she was that strong," Emma said softly.

"She's his daughter, Emma," Bae pointed out.

"Not only that, but she had the right motivation," Rumple said. "Like I said before, with will and belief you can do almost anything."

Suddenly Emma staggered.

"Emma, what happened?" Bae cried in alarm.

"I'm . . . so tired all of a sudden," his wife answered.

"Magic's price, dearie," Rumple said softly.

"How come you aren't?" she asked.

"I am, but it won't hit me until later," he answered. "I'm older, so it doesn't knock me for a loop as fast as it does you. But all magic comes with a price, and I'll pay it too."

Bae put an arm about Emma as they walked out the doors.

Right into a crowd of people who cheered and applauded as they came out into the sunlight.

"What on earth?" Rumple muttered as people clapped and held pencils and pads in front of him and asked for his autograph.

People snapped pictures on their phones and cried, "That was such a cool live action movie! When's it coming out? I can't wait to see it!"

"What? A movie?" Bae repeated.

Then Belle, Snow, Charming with Regina, Henry, and Alina pushed their way through the crowd and came up to them.

Belle hugged Rumple, and Snow hugged Emma and Henry and Alina hugged Bae.

"We told everyone you were making a movie in there, with spectacular CGI graphics," Belle whispered in Rumple's ear. "So they all think you're some big shot actors from Hollywood filming on location in New York."

"Belle, that's . . . brilliant!" Rumple said, kissing her. "So who do they think I am, anyway?"

Belle shrugged. "Some girl said you looked like somebody named Robert Carlyle. So just sign a few autographs, dearie, and then we can go back to the Plaza."

"Who do they think Emma and Bae are?"

"An actress called Jennifer Morrison and Bae's some guy called Michael Raymond-James. Snow and Henry are briefing them now," Belle said.

Rumple chuckled. From magician to actor . . . how very droll, he thought, and then he took a pen a child held out to him and signed the boy's notebook with a scribbled flourish.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

They finally managed to make their way out of the crush of well-meaning people and back on the subway and home without any more incidents. On the subway, David surreptitiously handed Rumple the fairy wand and Rumple put it in his sleeve.

All of the kids, including Regina, were asleep as soon as they sat down, exhausted by the use of magic. Emma too dozed in her seat until they reached their stop, then Bae shook her awake. He picked up a sleeping Henry and carried him while Rumple took Alina and Charming had Regina.

They put the kids to bed once they got back to the suite, and Emma said she was going to take a nap as well, leaving the rest of the adults to hang out in the suite.

Bae said he was starving, and was going to order some pizza. Belle sat next to Rumple on the couch and Snow and David sat beside them and looked at the old sorcerer and said, "So how did Regina manage to bring that dinosaur to life?"

Rumple spread his hands, "First off, dearies, it wasn't brought to life, it was reanimated, there's a difference. You can't bring back the dead. Magic can do much, but not that. Dead is dead."

"Okay, whatever," Charming said. "How did she do that? I thought you bound her magic."

"Her magic's dormant, yes. That hasn't changed. But dormant or not, David, that doesn't mean she can't use magical objects, like a wand," Rumple pointed out. "Magic responds to magic, even dormant. Especially fairy dust. It's particularly sensitive to magical emanations."

"What we need to ask ourselves now is not how she cast the spell, but how she got the wand," Snow said.

"Did you go anywhere near one of the nuns, or to the convent recently?" David asked. "I know I didn't."

"No . . . but . . . there was that one day, just before we left, I was teaching and I was late, so I asked if Grumpy and Nova wouldn't mind watching her," Snow recalled. "They might have brought her to the convent for a bit. She could have grabbed a wand there . . . sometimes the fairies leave them lying around . . . they're not used to having small children around."

"Irresponsible," Gold snorted. "You don't leave a magical item like that lying about where anyone can get at it. Any apprentice of mine knows better and so should they."

"We're going to have to have a talk with her, David, about touching things that don't belong to her," Snow said.

"More than that, Snow. I know she's just a little kid, but what she did was wrong," David said. "There have to be consequences for her actions. Only I'm not sure what." He looked over at Rumple. "What would you do?"

"Are you asking me for disciplinary advice?" Rumple queried.

"Uh . . . kind of," Charming admitted.

"Well, dearie, that would depend on a few things. Motivation, for one. Did she take the wand knowing it was wrong to do so? Or was she just playing, like any curious little girl? Deliberate misbehavior carries a different punishment in my book than one that was done out of curiosity and unintentional mischief," Rumple answered. "If my child deliberately disobeyed me, I'd be a lot harder on her than I would for the second offense. Unintentional mischief I would let off with a warning, a scolding, and probably a short time out or some restriction, like no cartoons for a night or dessert. I would also stress the fact that such actions are wrong and why, so she knows better next time. Anything deliberate would depend upon the offense and the age of my child. I normally use lectures and restrictions to punish, and only rarely did I take one of mine over my knee."

"Yeah, he only tanned my behind once," Bae stated. "And that was for starting a fire and almost barbecuing our whole village."

Snow gasped. " _You_ . . . did that, Baelfire?"

Bae flushed. "Yeah, I was so dumb. I bet this other kid I could summon a genie from this old lamp we found in the woods, and on the bottom of the thing it said light me or something. So I snuck some coals from the fireplace and tried to light a fire under it . . . and I lit one all right . . . only instead of summoning a genie it almost burned down the entire forest along with half the village. And I was old enough to know better."

"How did you find out he did it?" Charming wanted to know.

"Because his so-called friend came out of the woods screaming about Bae burning down the forest," Rumple replied. "And after the fire was out, I questioned him and he admitted it."

"I knew I was dead meat," Bae said ruefully. "And I also knew better than to lie and get in worse trouble."

"So, you see, it depends," Rumple said. "But one thing I do know, is that you always have to be consistent. Never say you'll do something and not follow through on it. Kids need boundaries, even though they hate them sometimes. Spell it out, no pun intended, and then do what you say. Every time."

"You mean, you didn't make deals with your kids?" Charming asked.

"Only sometimes. Some things were non-negotiable, and they both knew it."

"Yeah, when he started counting to three, that was pretty much it," Bae said. "I knew I'd better knock it off or else."

"It's a rather delicate balancing act," Rumple said. "And a lot of it's trial and error."

"I guess we can figure something out once she wakes up," Charming said to his wife.

"One thing I know we'll have to do and that's keep a better watch on her from now on as far as touching magical things go," Snow said firmly. "I'll make sure that anyone who babysits her knows that, and that we stress to her to never touch anything like that wand again."

"Prevention's worth an ounce of cure," Belle said.

"Got that right," Bae agreed. The phone in the suite began to ring. He grabbed it off the base and answered it. Then he hung it up and rose to his feet. "That would be the pizza. I hope you're all hungry."

"I know I am," Rumple said. "Battling Tyrannosaurus Rexes always gives me an appetite."

"You can say that again," Bae grinned, then grabbed his key card and went downstairs to get the pizza.


	6. A Charming Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More family bonding occurs and Snow and David get groovy!

The mouthwatering smell of pepperoni and cheese pizza filled the suite when Bae returned with three boxes from _Gino Rizzo's Pizzeria_. He shut the door with his foot and said, "Okay, I have one with extra cheese, one pepperoni, and one that's half cheese and half sausage, peppers, and onions. Oh, and they gave me some garlic bread too and two bottles of Coke."

"It smells incredible!" Snow said, sniffing the air.

"And just wait till you taste it," Bae said, opening a box. "Damn," he muttered. "Emma, Regina, and Henry are asleep, and by the time they wake up this'll be cold."

"Don't worry, Bae," Rumple called. "I can keep it hot for them." He tapped his cufflinks together and gestured. "Done."

"Thanks, Papa," Bae called, and grabbed plates out of the cabinet and set them down next to the plastic cups.

"Wow, you're like Mr. Microwave!" David said.

Snow collapsed onto the couch, laughing hysterically. "David, oh my God!"

Gold gave Charming a sharp Look. "Thanks a lot."

"What? I meant it as a compliment," Charming protested.

"Comparing me to a kitchen appliance?" Gold snorted.

"It could have been worse," Belle chuckled. "He could have compared you to a blender."

Gold raised an eyebrow. "How's that, dearie?"

"You know, because you can make my head spin around," she teased.

"Just your head?"

"Among other things," Belle said with a saucy wink.

"I compared Snow to a vacuum once," Charming remarked.

"A vacuum?" Belle repeated, puzzled.

"Yeah, because she can really suck stuff up. . .umm . . ."

"Hey! There's kids over here," Bae joked, snickering.

"Who're asleep," David reminded him.

"Little pitchers have big ears, Nolan," Rumple reminded him. "Or didn't I tell you what your baby girl said while we were driving to the airport when somebody cut me off?"

David blushed. "Oh, God. Tell me she didn't . . ."

"Didn't what?" Snow asked.

"She certainly did," Belle said. "I thought Rumple was going to asphyxiate . . . from holding his breath trying not to laugh."

"What did she say?" Snow wanted to know.

"Oh, nothing, dearie," Rumple remarked. "She just told me the right way to . . . address someone when they cut you off and you almost hit them."

"David!" Snow scolded.

"What? You don't even know what she said!"

"I can imagine!" his wife shook her head.

"It wasn't half as bad as what _you_ said that time a spider ran across your foot," Charming pointed out. "I had to cover Regina's ears."

"I _hate_ spiders. They're so disgusting."

"I don't really like them either," Belle admitted.

"You can say that again," her husband sniggered. "She chased one around the front room in my castle once with a broom, screaming, 'take that, you ugly old bastard!' I thought her father had come to visit or something."

"Gee, I wonder why," Bae said. "Not!" He quickly grabbed a slice of pepperoni and one with cheese and poured himself a glass of Coke and sat down on the recliner. Then he bit into a piece with relish. "Mmm . . . God, there's nothing like New York pizza."

Rumple took his own slices of pepperoni and went to sit back on the couch. "You know, Bae . . . this _is_ incredibly good," he said after eating some.

"I told you so," his son said.

"Yeah, it's all crispy and gooey and I'm probably going to gain ten pounds and need a fork lift to get me on the airplane after this vacation's over, but mmm . . . I _love_ it!" Snow said, enraptured.

"Now I know where Emma gets it from," Bae remarked cheekily, eating his second piece.

"Gets what from?" Charming queried.

"This . . . obsession with her weight," Bae answered.

"I'm _not_ obsessed, Baelfire. Just . . . concerned," Snow objected.

"You shouldn't be, honey," David said, eating his own slice. "Because I'll love you even when you're fat and frumpy and need two canes to get up and down the stairs."

Snow rolled her eyes. "Real nice, David!"

"What? What'd I say?"

"It's a girl thing, you wouldn't understand," Belle said.

"Do _you_ understand it?" David asked Bae and Rumple.

Bae shrugged.

"Not telling, dearie," Rumple answered.

"Great! Some brother you are!" Charming muttered.

Bae started laughing and nearly snorted Coke out of his nose. Then he helped himself to a slice of sausage, pepper, and onion.

"I'm not much of a pizza fanatic, but this is really good," Belle said. "And so's this garlic bread. I wonder if Alice can duplicate it?"

"Alice can cook anything," Emma remarked, coming into the room.

"Hey, it's sleeping beauty!" Bae said, blowing her a kiss.

"The smell woke me," Emma admitted, yawning. She came over by her husband and promptly bit off a piece of his pizza.

"Hey! Get your own!"

"Why?" she asked cheekily. "Don't you know how to share?"

"There's almost a whole pie over there," he pointed to the table.

"You were right, sweetie," Emma said then. "It's out of this world."

"Want another bite?" Bae asked.

"Newlyweds!" Rumple rolled his eyes.

"Look who's talking," Bae called. "You've been married, what—three months longer than us?"

"What's that got to do with anything?" his father asked.

"Just saying," his son said, giving Rumple an impudent smirk. Then he turned to Emma, who was devouring his slice. "Here, wild swan. You eat this one and I'll get another one."

"I want to try the cheese one," she said. "All of a sudden, I feel like I could eat an entire pig or something. Why?"

"Because casting spells like you did today burns an incredible amount of energy," Rumple answered. "And you need to replenish it."

"You're serious?"

"Of course, dearie."

Emma brightened. "That's awesome, Rumple! Now I don't have to kill myself exercising. I can just cast spells!"

"Darn! Now I wish _I_ had magic," Snow pouted, and everyone laughed.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

Two hours later, all the kids were awake and rhapsodizing over the pizza.

"This is like . . . the best pizza ever!" Alina cried.

"Mom, Dad was _so_ right!" Henry said, eating his second slice of cheese pizza. "This pizza's like . . . the most amazing thing! I want to eat it every day."

"Yeah, that's my boy!" Bae cheered.

Emma groaned. "Henry, don't you think you'll get sick of it?"

"No way, Mom! I think I want to go to college here," her son said, giving her a sweet smile.

"Me too!" Regina said, stuffing some cheese she'd taken off her slice into her mouth.

"You want to move all the way over here to New York?" Snow said, pretending to be dismayed. "But won't you miss Mommy and Daddy?"

Regina shrugged. "Maybe. I'd miss Unca Rumple n' Auntie Belle."

"All right. What did you do, Gold? Brainwash her?" Charming asked.

"Nothing," Gold protested. Then he gently caught Regina's hand before she left a red handprint on his shirt. "Hold it, imp! Let me wipe your hand before you get sauce on my silk shirt." He took a napkin and cleaned the toddler's hand before allowing her to climb in his lap.

She played with his tie for a bit before saying, "Unca Rumple, is the T-Rex dead? Didja kill it?"

"Well, yes . . . in a way. Speaking of that . . ." he gestured to Snow and David.

"Regina, can you tell Mommy where you got that wand?" Snow asked, looking her daughter in the eye.

"Umm . . . it was on a table," the little girl said softly.

"On a table where? In the convent?" David asked, kneeling down in front of her.

"Uh huh. I was 'tending I was a fairy godmother . . . like in Sleeping Beauty," Regina told him. "An' they gots wands . . . so I needed it. An' I put it in my pocket 'cause Nova said it was time to go home an' I wasn't finished playing yet."

"Regina, you shouldn't ever take something that doesn't belong to you," David began, a bit sternly.

"Especially something like a wand," Snow added. "Magic wands aren't toys. You could hurt yourself or someone else by playing around with a wand like that."

"Look what happened when you . . . uh . . . made that T-rex come alive," Charming said.

"Unca Rumple kicked its butt!" the little girl pointed out.

"Uncle Rumple almost got chewed up and spit out, dearie," Rumple interjected. "That's not a good thing."

Regina twisted around to look up at him. He was frowning. "It hurt you?"

He nodded.

"I had to go heal him," Alina put in.

Regina looked upset. "I sorry."

"You don't play with wands, young lady. Not ever," David stressed.

"Or else you'll be in big trouble," Snow said gravely. "A lot of people could have gotten hurt, Regina, from you making that T-Rex . . . reanimate itself. That was wrong of you to take the wand from the convent. I'm sure one of the . . . fairies is crying because she can't find it."

"I'll give it back, Mommy!" the little girl cried, looking woebegone.

"That's right, you will," Charming agreed. "And you'll tell her you're very sorry for touching it and you'll never do it again, right?"

"Uh huh."

"And because you were so naughty, you're going to stand in the corner for five minutes and think about what you did," Snow told her firmly.

Regina shook her head. "No! No time out!" She turned and clung to Rumple, grabbing handfuls of his jacket. "Unca Rumple, help!"

David frowned. "Regina Nolan . . ."

Rumple sighed. Then he gently removed the little girl's fingers from his suit and turned her about, sitting her up on his knee. "Hey, little imp! Listen to me," he put a finger under her chin and tilted her head up so she was looking at him. "I'll save you from any kind of monster or goblin or creature of darkness, but I can't help you if you've been naughty and you're in trouble with Mommy and Daddy."

"Why?"

"Because they're your parents, Regina, and what they say goes. Understand?"

Her face crumpled. "But . . . Unca Rumple . . .!"

He shook his head. "No buts, Regina. You touched what didn't belong to you and now you're in trouble for it." He picked her up and handed her to Snow.

Snow took her recalcitrant daughter and carried her into the bedroom. "You also ran away from Mommy when you know to stay by me," she said. "And you know what that gets you."

Regina started crying. "No-o! I sorry!"

"Good, you ought to be," Snow said sternly. She set her jaw, then put her daughter across her lap and gave her two firm swats. "That's for running off. Never do that again, understand?"

Regina bawled. "Sorry!"

"And five minutes in the corner," Snow added, setting her down facing the wall.

Regina cried and squirmed, but Snow made sure she didn't try and leave the corner by standing right behind her. The unhappy child sobbed loudly, putting a hand on her slightly sore bottom. "I want Daddy!"

"Daddy's not happy with you either right now," Snow told her. "Or Uncle Rumple. We're all very disappointed in you, young lady."

That brought forth a round of fresh howls from the little minx, but it didn't get her out of the corner any sooner.

Finally, it was over, and Snow hugged her and told her she was forgiven. "Now remember this, Regina, and you won't get in trouble, okay?"

"Okay," she sniffled, and Snow gently dried her tears with a tissue.

When Snow emerged from the bedroom with a contrite Regina, the toddler ran to David and hugged him. "Mommy spanked me," she sniffled.

"I know. Because you ran off and almost got lost," David said, cuddling her.

"I sorry."

"Then I forgive you," he murmured and patted her back.

When he released her, he expected her to run over to Rumple, who was starting to fall asleep on the couch, as magic's price finally caught up with him.

Regina did go up to him, but she scowled at him. "You're mean!"

The pawnbroker blinked sleepily. "Huh? What was that, dearie?"

"I is mad at you, Unca Rumple."

"At me? What for?"

"Cause," she said, glaring at him.

Rumple, who knew perfectly well why she was angry with him, yawned and said, "Okay, be that way." Then he closed his eyes.

Pouting, she stomped away from him.

Emma exchanged an amused glance with Bae. "Looks like he's in the doghouse."

Her husband snickered. "Yeah, for about five minutes. Wait and see."

Regina ran over to where Alina and Henry were playing on their tablets and said, "Hey! Wanna go see the game room?"

Henry set down his Nook. "You want to go to the arcade?"

Regina nodded.

"You want to, Alina?"

"Sure! We can play Dance Magic," she said. "Mama, you want to come with us?"

Belle was curled up on the couch next to Rumple. "Maybe later, sweetie. I'm kind of tired."

Henry looked over at Bae and Emma. "Mom?"

"I'm still kind of beat, kid," Emma said.

"I'll come," Bae said.

"I will too," Snow said.

"So will I," David said.

So the Charmings, Bae, Alina, Henry, and Regina all rode the elevator downstairs to where the arcade was.

Henry immediately challenged Bae to play Nascar, and the two were racing against each other for about twenty minutes until they both crashed. Alina played Ms. Pacman with Regina until they ran out of tokens and Alina went to get more from the machine, feeding it a twenty.

Once it had given her a bunch of tokens, Alina came back to where Regina was standing, eying the Dance Magic game. "Want to play this, Regina?"

"How?" the little girl asked.

"You have to follow what the box up there tells you to do, and dance to the music," Alina said. "Here, I'll show you." She fed two tokens into the black box and the floor in front of the machine lit up with colored circles.

Alina went and stood in the middle of them, putting her feet on the two white circles. Music began to play, a fast disco beat, and then the monitor flashed a pattern of blue circle, red circle, and green circle, then back to a red circle.

Alina began to dance, her feet touching the circles in the correct pattern in time to the music.

She danced up through level ten, easily keeping up to the whirling beat of the music, her ponytail flying behind her.

Regina squealed and clapped her hands. "Go, Alina!"

Finally, Alina jumped onto the last circle, a purple one, and the music stopped, as the machine had run out of tokens.

"Want to try, Regina?" Alina asked.

"Uh huh."

"I'll put it on the easy level," she said, and programmed the machine. "Now you jump on the colored circle on the screen. You know your colors, right?"

"Yes!"

"Okay! Ready?" Alina pressed "Go".

Regina began to jump around on the circles, laughing like crazy.

David and Snow came to see what was going on, and started clapping.

"Hey, she's not bad for a three year old," David said, watching as the toddler jumped to the correct circle every time it flashed.

"That looks like fun," Snow exclaimed.

"It is," Alina said. "You can even have dance competitions with your friends. Grace and I always play this with Henry."

"And they always win," Henry said, grinning.

Just then the music stopped and Regina looked up at her parents and said, "I won!"

"You sure did, princess!" David clapped for her.

Alina looked over at her brother. "Think you can beat me, Bae?"

Bae smirked. "What? You think I can't dance, little sister?"

"I don't know. Can you?" her brown eyes glinted in challenge.

"Let's find out," he said, and went to stand on one side of the machine. "Set it up, Henry."

Henry put more tokens in the machine and set it to competition, two people, and medium level of difficulty.

The floor lit up and the machine began rapping out tunes, like Britney Spears, Aerosmith, Kelly Clarkson, and several others.

As the circles blinked, Bae and Alina twirled and jumped and leaped, faster and faster.

"Whoa! You're really good, Dad!" Henry gasped, watching as Bae twisted around and touched a glowing yellow circle behind him.

"Go, Alina!" Regina cheered, jumping up and down as the little sorceress spun around and lunged for a red circle with one hand and put her left foot back on a green circle then switched feet and spun around.

"She's really good," Snow said.

"C'mon, Bae! You gonna let an eleven-year-old kick your butt?" Charming called.

"Not if I can help it, buddy," Bae called, spinning about and touching two different circles in a minute.

Ten minutes later, the two were still dancing, and their score was tied.

Panting, Bae looked over at Alina. "You want to go another round, minx?"

She grinned at him. "You're not bad, Bae." Then she looked over at Snow. "Want to try, Snow?"

Snow looked at David. "Once upon a time, I used to be a pretty good dancer."

"That was a long time ago," her husband reminded her.

"What are you saying? That I've forgotten how?" she demanded.

"No, just . . . this isn't like the dancing you're used to," David pointed out.

Snow put her hands on her hips. "You think I can't dance, don't you?"

"Mary Margaret . . ."

"Can you, David?"

"You want to challenge me?" He pointed a thumb at his chest.

"Yeah, hotshot."

Alina looked at her brother. "This ought to be good!"

Bae nodded. Then he stepped off the floor and said, "Good luck, buddy."

Henry gaped at his grandparents. "Oh my God! You're really going to do this?"

"Set it up, tiger," Bae urged. "Let's see what they've got."

Henry went and took the handful of tokens Alina gave him and put them into the machine. Then he pressed various buttons. "Okay. You ready?" He stepped back.

"Let's do it!" Charming cried.

The music began to play and the floor lit up.

Snow began to dance, a little hesitantly at first, then she became more relaxed and started getting into it, leaping and stomping all over the board. "Hey, David! Beat this!"

She spun, touching two circles one after the other and danced up and back like a dervish.

Charming matched her and the two danced in tandem for a few minutes.

Then the machine stepped up the level, and the pattern became more difficult and faster than before.

"Go, Mary Margaret!" Alina cheered.

"Yay, Daddy!" Regina clapped.

Henry didn't know who he wanted to win, so he settled for clapping for both of them and saying to Bae, "Where'd they learn how to do hip hop?"

"I don't think they did, tiger. They're just following the patterns," Bae said. "Keep it up, David!"

As the music shifted again, Snow turned to her husband. "Hey, hotshot! Having fun?"

"You bet! And I'm winning!" he pointed at the board.

"Not for long, baby cakes!" Snow giggled, and stepped up her routine.

Finally both of them were panting and laughing like hyenas. Snow had won by a slim margin and she leaned on David and said, "Oh! That was so much fun! I'd do it again but my legs feel like Jell-O."

"You can challenge Bae tomorrow," David said, and caught her in his arms and kissed her.

Henry rolled his eyes. "Oh, boy. Here they go again. It's like watching _Flashdance_."

"Henry, wanna race to the elevator?" Regina crowed.

"Sure. Okay, ready, set, go!"

He generously allowed the toddler a head start before he started running, and he didn't run very hard, letting the little girl touch the door of the green elevator before he did.

"Yes! I won!" she yelled.

"You're quicker than lightning," Henry laughed, picking her up and twirling around with her. "C'mon, let's go back upstairs and tell Emma and Auntie Belle and Uncle Rumple what we just saw."

When they got back to the suite, they found the rest of their family snoozing happily.

Henry set Regina down and went to get something to drink, pouring himself some Coke.

Meanwhile, Regina went and crawled up on the couch and into Belle's lap, crooning, "Wake up, Auntie Belle!"

Belle's eyes fluttered open. "Hey, Regina. Back already?"

"Uh huh! Guess what? Bae an' Alina danced together an' so did Mommy an' Daddy!"

"That's great, sweetie!" Belle smiled at the excited child and kissed her cheek. "Now go wake up Uncle Rumple!"

Regina crawled over to him, climbing into his lap and calling, "Unca Rumple! Open you eyes!"

Rumple kept right on sleeping.

Regina patted his face. "Unca Rumple!"

He turned his face away.

"Hey! You gotta wake up now!" she ordered imperiously.

Rumple opened his eyes. "What for, Miss Big Mouth Bossypants?" he asked.

"Cause I gots to tell you something," Regina said.

"I already know you're mad at me," he said, tweaking her nose.

"Nuh uh. Not anymore!" she cried. "Lissen! Mommy n' Daddy played the Dance Magic game an' Mommy won!"

"That's great, dearie. Mind if I go back to sleep?" Rumple asked.

"I ain't done yet!" she told him. "An' tomorrow, Mommy's gonna dance against _you_ , Unca Rumple!"

"Oh, no, little imp!" Rumple shook his head. "I do magic, not dance competitions. Go ask your big sister."

" _Please_!"

"No. Ask Emma."

" _Please?_ "

"You want me to hurt my leg again?"

"No. I wanna see you beat Mommy."

Henry started giggling. "Regina, Grandpa's old, he couldn't do that!"

Rumple looked over at his smug grandson. "Excuse me? Did you just call me _old_?"

"Uh . . . yeah."

"I'll show you old, you impudent whelp!" Rumple mock-growled. He set Regina down and stealthily got to his feet.

Henry had turned away and was contemplating waking up Emma when a lean arm suddenly snatched him up and hauled him over to the couch. "Hey!" he yelped.

Rumple sat down and held his grandson on his lap, saying to Regina, "And _this_ is what happens to little boys who get too big for their britches, dearie."

Then he began to tickle Henry, his long fingers finding all the boy's most ticklish spots and tickling him unmercifully. Henry was doubled over laughing uncontrollably across Rumple's knees.

"They get the Rumplestiltskin Tickle Torture Treatment!" Rumple declared, his fingers dancing up the boy's ribcage, behind his knees, and under his arms.

"Okay . . . stop . . . please . . ." Henry begged, howling with laughter. "I . . . take it . . . back . . ."

"Henry?" Emma muttered, waking up. She looked over at the couch and saw her son laughing helplessly in Rumple's grip. "What's going on?"

"Help . . . Mom . . . he's tickling me to death!" Henry gasped, then dissolved into giggles again.

"Just teaching the boy a much needed lesson, dearie," Rumple smirked.

"That's good," Emma winked, then she flopped back on the chair and shut her eyes.

"Mo-om!" her son wailed. Then he started laughing as his grandfather's fingers, devilishly quick things that they were, poked him in the stomach. "Okay . . . I'll . . . be . . . good . . ."

"Promise?"

"Yes . . ." Henry said.

"All right. I'll let you off. But next time I'm using a feather," Rumple threatened with a wicked chuckle. He released Henry just as the door to the suite opened and Snow, Alina, Charming, and Bae entered.

"Hey, guys, what's up?" asked David.

"Last I checked, dearie, it was the sky," Rumple quipped.

"You still telling that one, Papa?" Bae asked. "That one's older than you. Getting a little . . . forgetful?"

"You sassing me, Baelfire?" Gold asked, with a mock-frown.

"Don't do it, Dad!" Henry cried. "Or he'll tickle torture you to death."

"Henry, I'm a little too old for that threat to work on me," Bae said smugly.

"Really, dearie?" Rumple queried. The next instant he was on his feet and reaching for his son, his brown eyes gleaming.

"Whoa!" Bae cried, holding out his hands. "No, Papa! Okay, I take it back!"

"Like father like son," Belle remarked.

Emma burst out laughing. She owed Rumplestiltskin a thank you. Because now she knew what to threaten her boys with if they got out of line.


	7. An Ordinary Hero, Extraoridinary Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumple learns he's a hero to some people and gets a very extraoridinary surprise

Mr. Gold found himself awake the next morning at an ungodly hour, around five AM, though he wasn't sick like he had been yesterday morning. He was simply . . . restless and unable to sleep. So he decided to get up and make himself some coffee, and left Belle happily dreaming in their bed. He put on his soft moosehide slippers, as the floor in the kitchenette was chilly, and without his cane to betray his movements, walked silently into the small kitchenette and found the coffeepot soaking in the sink. Though the suite came, as all hotel rooms did here, with housekeeping services, Gold had requested they not disturb his family, and they would see to their own needs while they were here. The last thing any of them needed was someone overhearing something odd and starting rumors about magic. This way they'd be thought of either as eccentric or thoughtful or both.

He rinsed out the pot and filled it with water, then carefully lined the basket with a filter and scooped in the coffee. He'd learned how to brew a good pot of coffee from Alice, when they had first come to this world and Alina was a harum-scarum sixteen-month old just learning to scamper.

As the coffee began to perk, Gold turned to get the creamer from the small refrigerator, the Plaza provided real creamer for coffee, as well as sugar, Splenda, and Equal.

He set the creamer on the counter, grabbed a spoon and a mug from inside the cabinet and went to sit down at the little table while the coffee finished brewing. Dawn's light was just beginning to emerge through the window, and the sun's rays danced across the floor. Rumple squinted slightly as he walked over to the table and when he opened his eyes fully, he saw someone had joined him.

"Alina," he said softly. "What are you doing up so early, dearie? You feeling okay?"

His daughter nodded, her mouth curving in a sweet smile, one reminiscent of her mother's. "I'm fine, Papa. I just . . . wasn't sleepy anymore."

"Neither was I," he admitted, sitting next to her. "But you always were an early riser."

"Like you," she said, and brushed strands of her chestnut hair out of her eyes. She was wearing a long nightshirt with kittens on it that said _Play, Love, Meow_. Her feet were bare, and tucked up beneath her on the chair.

"Sometimes," he said. His gaze roamed fondly over her, his miracle child, this tangible result of true love, of Belle's steadfast love for a beast, and a beast's true love for the beauty that had claimed his heart, all unknowing. A beauty just like her mother, with her father's magic, he thought.

"How's your leg?" she asked then.

His hand went automatically to rub it, as it was usually stiff in the mornings, only to recall that it would never be so again, and the reason for it was sitting next to him. "It's fine, sweetheart. Just fine."

"Then . . . you're not mad that I healed you?"

"No, of course not. Alina, I was never really angry . . . just afraid that you'd get yourself killed trying to help me. If anything ever happened to you . . . I would have died right there. I'm sorry I yelled at you . . . and sorry I forgot to thank you for this," he patted his newly healed leg.

"Then you don't mind?"

He shook his head. "Why would you think that?"

"Because you could have healed yourself once magic came back to Storybrooke, but you never did. Why?"

"I . . . It's complicated, dearie. My leg . . . wasn't hurt in any car accident, as you know. And it served as a reminder . . . of who I once was . . . the cowardly spinner who could make deals, but never be a hero, who ran away just like his father."

"You never were, Papa," Alina stated firmly. "If you'd fought then, you'd have died, and never come home to Bae . . . never lived to meet Mama and I'd have never been born. I know, I read the Book. You made the right choice then . . . you weren't a coward to leave . . . you were smart. Milah was the coward, for not welcoming you home and seeing that a live husband was better than a dead hero. And so was everybody else, for thinking fighting in a war makes you brave. Making hard choices makes you brave, and you made the hardest choice of all. You did something none of the others had the guts to. You stood up for what you believed in. And that's real bravery."

Rumple stared at her in astonishment. "That's what you think of me? Even after all I've done?"

"Papa, whatever you've done is past. You can't change it, all you can do is accept it, learn from it, and go on. You might have been the Dark One, but the Dark One didn't raise me. Mr. Gold did. And that means everything to me. You might have been cursed, but you never forgot me, you were always there for me, and you didn't have to be, you could have taken the easy way out, like a lot of rich folks do, and just let Alice watch me all the time. And that means you really loved me, and no coward loves like that, Papa. A coward loves himself first and anybody else second. You don't need to fight in a stupid war to prove you're a hero. You've always been mine, and you always will be, because you weren't afraid to love me, even when you thought Mama was dead. You could have hated me, because she was gone and I wasn't, or blamed me, like Maurice does, if you were a different kind of person, you would've. But you didn't, you loved me even when it hurt, and whenever I need you, there you are. That's the papa I know. That's a real hero, not some idiot who killed ten ogres."

Rumple was astonished and humbled at her words, spoken so plainly and yet with such conviction that it brought tears to his eyes. "Alina, dearie, you're . . . incredible. Just like your mother, you see something in me that I never would have, not in a thousand years."

"That's because you've forgotten how to look. You told me once during a lesson that you have to forget what you think you know and just believe. Well, you need to forget what _you_ think you know, Papa, and just believe in yourself. I do. I always have. Because you taught me how."

"Then maybe . . . I should take my own advice," he chuckled.

"Yeah, maybe you should."

He moved then and hugged her to him, holding her close. "I love you, my darling girl."

"Love you too," she said, snuggling into his arms, and for a moment they were as they had always been, just the two of them, an ordinary hero and the little girl who believed in him.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

After his second cup of coffee, Rumple called the hotel concierge and made a special request for that afternoon, while Alina went to take a shower and get dressed. Last night, they had all agreed to go back to the museum to finish going through some more exhibits, and in the afternoon split up for awhile to do a few things in small groups. Snow, David, and Regina wanted to visit Times Square, while Bae, Emma, Henry, and Alina wanted to see Ellis Island. Rumple had already made plans with Belle for a special outing, for Belle had a surprise she wished to share with him, and they were going to spend the afternoon in Central Park, part of it going on a carriage ride through some historic sections nearby, and the rest having a picnic supper together.

After the museum, they all split up, and Gold and Belle took the subway back to the hotel, where they changed and Gold picked up the picnic basket the Plaza staff had made for them. Belle had changed into a pretty golden flowing knit dress and some white sandals, with a shawl he had knitted for her in a pretty pattern of linked circles of softest mohair, dyed a striking sapphire blue, like her eyes. She wore some hammered gold earrings, an eternity knot pendant, and her wedding band. She carried a small purse that matched the shawl.

"You look absolutely incredible, dearie," he said when he saw her standing by the couch.

"And so do you," she said.

He was wearing a pearl gray Armani jacket and trousers with his usual Gucci loafers, and his shirt was nearly the same shade of blue as her shawl, and his tie was his favorite Ferragamo gold satin one. His only jewelry was his cufflinks and his wedding band. The picnic basket was waiting at the front desk for them, and he held out his arm to Belle. "All set? Then let's go."

Belle put her arm in his, smiling. "I feel like this is a first date. Isn't that silly?"

"Well, no. It sort of is . . . since the curse broke and all."

Together they walked out of the suite and to the elevator, found the picnic basket waiting for them, as well as a cab to take them to Central Park.

Rumple let Belle pick the horse and carriage they'd be using. She chose a high-stepping Standardbred with a dark coat and a white star in the middle of his forehead, who his driver, a young man called Joe, said was fiery yet gentle and his name was Black Beauty, like the horse in the famous book. The carriage was older than some of the others, but well cared for, with red leather seats and a gleaming gray exterior with polished brass trimmings.

"What a beautiful horse!" Belle said, petting his nose. "I've read that book!"

"She reads a lot of books," Gold laughed. "She's a librarian."

Joe grinned. "Me too. I always carry one on me, in case business is slow. How about you, sir?"

"Oh, I read too. When I'm not in my shop. I'm a pawnbroker, among other things."

"Where are you from, if you don't mind my asking?"

"We're from Maine," Belle replied.

"A little town along the coast," Gold supplied.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr.-"

"Gold. And this is my wife, Belle."

"Seriously? That's awesome!" Joe said. He shook their hands. "Okay, Mr. and Mrs. Gold, climb right on up here and I'll put your basket in the back and we'll get started."

Rumple helped Belle into the carriage first, then he climbed in, easily now that his leg was no longer lame. Joe climbed up to the coachman's seat, and shook the reins, clicking his tongue and saying, "Hup, Beauty!"

The black horse walked calmly through the somewhat crowded streets, unfazed by the cars, noise, and people rushing to and fro. Joe took them all about the historic district and told them lively stories about the buildings and other landmarks and gave them time to take pictures and enjoy the scenery together. He also explained that a lot of structures had been damaged due to Superstorm Sandy and because of the massive costs to repair what the storm had destroyed, some of the buildings might never be repaired and need to be torn down.

"Oh, that's such a shame!" Belle said.

Gold nudged her and whispered, "Maybe not, dearie. I'll make a donation."

"You'd do that, Rum?"

"Why not? I have enough money, I might as well use some of it for something good. And preserving history is always good," he said, and put an arm around her.

Joe took them around in a slow loop and then back to Central Park, where he stopped the carriage and said, "You can eat over there, Mr. Gold, under those pretty maple trees beside the pond," he indicated a pretty spot, half surrounded by low lying hedges sculpted by a dedicated gardener to look like fantastic beasts. On the pond floated some lily pads and pink water lilies and some mallards swam in and out of them.

"That's perfect," Gold exclaimed. "Will you wait here for us? I'll pay you extra."

"Sure, and you don't have to—" Joe began.

Gold shoved a bill into his hand. "Here. Go buy yourself some lunch and something for Beauty too." Then he turned to help Belle down and took the basket from the back and started walking over to the spot Joe had indicated, with Belle beside him.

The carriage driver went to shove the bill in his pocket, thinking it was a ten and happened to glance down at it. "Holy crap! He just tipped me a _hundred_ dollars!" he gasped. "I could buy food for a month on this. Maybe it's a mistake?" he said to Beauty. He jumped down from his box and walked over to where Gold and Belle were spreading out a blanket with the Plaze logo on it. "Umm . . . Mr. Gold, I think you . . . err . . . gave me too much . . ."

The pawnbroker looked up and said, "No, I didn't. I gave you what you earned, lad. Now go and buy yourself some lunch, okay?"

"I . . . thank you! Thanks a lot!" Joe grinned and waved, then went across the street to a deli he knew of, still dumbstruck by the generosity of this stranger from Maine.

"Have a seat, Belle, and let me see what we've got in here," Rumple said, kneeling to unpack the picnic basket. Inside he found a card that read, _Have a wonderful day! Sandwiches and salads made by Carnegie Deli, desserts by Ferrara's. Drinks on the house—compliments of the Plaza._ He took out several sandwiches wrapped in wax paper, and said, "Here's some Black Forest ham and Alpine Swiss on sourdough bread and this one's smoked turkey with Provolone and bacon on focaccia, that's a type of Italian flatbread." Each sandwich has tomatoes and Romaine lettuce on them as well as an herb mayonnaise. "What else do we have?"

He found huge slices of Kosher dill pickles, a container of potato salad, another of macaroni salad, and for dessert there were cannolis from Ferrara's. There were also two bottles each of Pellegrino sparkling sodas, one tangerine mango and the other pomegranate strawberry. There were also plastic plates that looked almost like china and plastic forks and spoons that looked almost real, as well as thick linen napkins with the Plaza logo.

"This all looks so delicious!" Belle exclaimed. "And these sandwiches are huge! Want to split one?"

"Okay. We'll split one each," he said, and handed her half a ham and cheese while he took a turkey.

They portioned out the salads and pickles, leaving the cannolis inside the basket for later.

Belle took a pomegranate soda and gave the tangerine one to Rumple. They clinked their bottles together. "To my wonderful husband! Thanks for everything, Rumple!"

"To my exquisite wife! For putting up with me," he returned.

Then they drank, savoring the tart and sweet flavor of the soda, which refreshed them in the heat of the afternoon.

Belle eyed him over the top of her soda. "Rumple, I don't 'put up' with you. I love you, and every moment I spend with you is special and magical."

"I love you too, sweetheart, and every moment I spend with you, I am truly blessed," he said sincerely.

"Wait until I tell you my surprise," she said. "I think you're going to love it. But for now, let's eat, because I'm starving."

The sandwiches were incredible, bursting with flavor, with just the right amount of everything on them. So were the salads and Rumple fed Belle half a pickle and she fed the other half to him, making sure his napkin was tucked into place so pickle juice didn't get on his suit.

They each had a quarter of the other half of each other's sandwich, and fed each other bites, grinning like silly children as they playfully nibbled each other's fingers. Then Rumple took a cannoli out of the basket and said, "Here's the sweetest thing in here . . . except for you."

"Oh, Rumple! I can't . . ." Belle lifted a hand.

"One bite. Come on, you know you want to," he teased, waving it in front of her nose.

"Okay. Just one bite," she agreed and took a bite. Then she sighed in rapture.

"Good?"

She took the other half and said, "Now you," and shoved it in his mouth.

"Mmm . . . God!" he groaned.

She leaned over and purred, "You know . . . you have cream . . . right here," and she kissed his nose. Then she moved lower, and their lips met, and she was kissing him as if he were the last man on earth, her lips tasting of sweet cream and fiery passion that sent shock waves through him.

He clasped her to him, losing himself in the sensations she conjured in him, kissing her back with shared passion, giving to her all that he was, sharing with her that secret part of himself that he only allowed her to see, because he trusted her implicitly to never hurt him the way Milah and Cora had. Belle would never play games with his heart, never be carelessly cruel and fling it aside, she cherished it and him the way no woman ever had. Or ever would.

When the kiss ended, Belle looked up and giggled softly. "Rumple . . . we have an audience."

Blinking, he looked around . . . to see a row of ducks standing just beyond the picnic blanket, eyeing the remains of their lunch hopefully.

One of them quacked at him, and Belle chuckled. "Shall we?" she queried.

Together they picked up the crusts of their sandwiches and threw the crumbs to the ducks, who gobbled them down, jostling each other and quacking indignantly for the pieces.

Gold dusted his hands off and then waved at them. "That's all, folks! Now go bother someone else with more food."

The ducks honked at him, then scattered, flying back over to the lake.

He then resumed leisurely kissing his wife, halting only when the haunting arias of a string quartet reached his ears. "What's that?"

"I think . . . it's coming from over there," Belle indicated somewhere to the west beyond the hedge.

"Let's go and see," he said, drawing her to her feet, his eyes sparkling like a mischievous child's.

They slipped through a gap in the hedge to see a small string quartet consisting of two violins, a cello, and a guitar playing classical music while some people listened and a few danced on the lush green grass.

Belle listened to the music, which reminded her a lot of the sort they had played a formal parties in her father's palace, and turned to Rumple and said, "Do you know how to waltz, Mr. Gold?"

"It's been a long time, but yes, I still remember how," he answered, recalling a lifetime ago in his castle, when he'd waltzed with Belle across the drawing room floor to the sound of invisible violins. "And I don't have to worry about falling on my face like an idiot thanks to Alina."

They stepped out on the green just as the musicians began to play a standard rendition of a waltz. A few of those watching twirled about slowly, but it was clear that they didn't know the traditional dance.

Rumple gazed at Belle. "Shall we dance, dearie? And show these kids how it's done?"

Belle grinned up at him. "Why not? If you're sure, Rumple?"

He nodded, and swept her into a slow glide as they moved in a graceful tandem across the grass, his newly healed leg enabling him to twirl lightly about in a circle, holding Belle close.

Belle allowed him to lead, matching his steps with her own, delighting in his newfound prowess. Though it had been a long time since she had danced anything, she found she still remembered how to move, her body so attuned to Rumple's that it seemed like they were one person spinning around and around.

The other couples soon halted to watch the well-dressed man and his lady dance, their movements so finely tuned, like a Stradivarius violin, poised, powerful, and passionate.

"Who _are_ they?"

"Must be professionals, look at how they go. Christ, that guy's as old as my dad and he dances better than I do!" remarked a college student enviously.

"They're just amazing! And she's so hot I'm on fire!" remarked another young man.

"That guy might be as old as your dad, Chris, but he's way way cooler!" whispered his girlfriend. "It's like that Justin Timberlake song—he's bringin' sexy back."

"Damn straight!" agreed her girlfriend, making their dates pout, and wish they knew how the hell to do whatever dance the guy in the Armani suit was doing.

Belle twirled away from Rumple for three heartbeats, connected to him by a single clasped hand, smiling at him seductively.

He winked at her, giving her a beckon with a finger, and she twirled lazily back into his arms.

He gave her a casual dip, then spun around, moving easily in the measured swan-like glide the dance called for, all of his awkwardness vanished as his healed leg took his weight without a twinge, and he thrilled to the feel of his beloved in his arms, her heart beating in time with his own.

Belle curled an arm about his waist, loving the feel of his sinewy strength, and the way he held her, the tips of his fingers sending a scorching heat through her, his mouth curled in that devilish sexy smirk she loved.

Finally, the music ended with a flourish, and Belle clasped close in Rumple's arms, her heart in her eyes and her face aglow with love.

He smiled down at her, his brown eyes filled with an endless devotion, love transforming his face from ordinary to extraordinary, in a single heartbeat. "Not bad, huh, dearie?" he crooned.

Belle shook her head. "Rum, you're such a closet romantic."

"Better late than never," he quipped.

The couples watching applauded and a few started to approach them, but Rumple drew Belle back around the hedge and they gathered up the picnic things and headed back to where Joe had parked the carriage and Beauty dozed in the afternoon sun while his master read _All Creatures Great and Small._

"Hey, back already," he said when he spotted the couple. "How was the picnic?"

"It was great!" Belle said, as she climbed into the carriage, patting her purse, which she had left inside the picnic basket when they danced. "Joe, could you . . . find us a spot with a view somewhere nearby? Just something pretty and . . . sort of elegant?"

"Sure I can, Mrs. Gold," Joe answered. He clicked to Beauty and the horse awoke and began to trot along the avenue.

Rumple eyed Belle curiously. "Why do we need a spot like that?"

"It's ambiance," she replied mysteriously. "For my surprise."

"What kind of surprise is it?" he asked, sounding insatiably curious, like a child just before opening Christmas presents.

"You'll see."

"Will I like it?"

"I hope so," she replied.

After about five minutes, Joe halted the carriage and Belle looked about. They had gone around half the park, and the spot Joe had picked overlooked the pond, with deep evergreens and willows, the sunlight sparkling upon the placid water and a bronze statue of a horseman off to one side with impatients about it in a rainbow splashes of color.

Belle glanced around and murmured, "Perfect," then she opened her purse and withdrew a small gold box with a small bow on it. "For you, Rumple."

He took it. "Belle, what is this? It's not my birthday."

"I know. Just open it, okay?"

Rumple undid the ribbon and carefully removed the lid. Nestled among crinkled pastel blue and pink tissue was a pair of tiny yellow . . . booties?

He picked one up and stared at it. "Okay . . . and you gave me these because . . .?"

"Take a guess."

"Because . . ." at first he went blank. Then it came to him, all in a rush and, he gasped. "No! You mean . . .?"

She clasped his hands in hers. "Rumple, you're going to be a papa again. I'm pregnant!"

He was speechless. Of all the things she could have said or done, he had never expected those words to come out of her mouth. "Belle . . . I . . . we're having a baby?"

"Yes! You know how I started feeling kind of tired and out of sorts about two months ago? Well, I just chalked it up to . . . err . . . stress and whatnot . . . but then, after we got here, I started feeling sort of . . .queasy in the morning after I ate and I thought it was the food, that it was a little too rich . . . I asked Emma what was a good thing to calm down a queasy stomach and then she asked me a few questions and while you were all in the museum gift shop, she took me to a pharmacy nearby and I got one of those First Response tests . . . you know what they are?"

He nodded. "And?"

"And . . . it was positive. Look!" She fumbled in her purse, and pulled out a tissue wrapped object.

Rumple just stared down at the white plastic meter with the pink plus sign. "Oh . . . I'm . . . going to be a papa . . . and you're going to be a mama . . ."

"And this time you won't be separated from me . . . you'll be able to be there for everything . . ."

"That's right . . ." he whispered, as the realization hit him smack in the face. "I'll be able to see it all . . . our baby growing in you . . . every day . . ."

"We'll do it together this time . . . you and me . . ." Belle said excitedly. "Are you happy, Rumple?"

"Happy?" he repeated, sounding dazed. "Belle, I' m . . . ecstatic!" His eyes blurry with tears from this unexpected gift, he clasped the knitted bootie in one hand and drew Belle to him with the other, kissing her breathless.

Joe turned around and said, "Hey, everything all right back there?"

Rumple turned, waving the little bootie. "Everything's wonderful! Joe, we're having a baby!"

"Wow! That's great, Mr. Gold. Congratulations!" He pumped Gold's hand enthusiastically. "Is it your first?"

"Second," Belle said, grinning. "But we thought . . . I might not be able to . . . have another . . . so this is like . . ."

"A miracle," Gold said reverently. He knew he was grinning like a fool but he didn't care. Belle was having his baby . . . and it was the best present ever.

"I can't wait to tell the rest of the family," Belle said, squeezing Rumple's hand.

"I just hope they don't pass out," Gold said, chuckling. He tucked the bootie back in the box, marveling that _he_ hadn't passed out.

"Then I'd best get you two back to the Plaza, so you can celebrate," said Joe, and he shook the reins and called, "Giddyup, Beauty!" and the black horse snorted and tossed his head, trotting along at a good clip until they reached the hotel. When they pulled up, both men helped Belle down, then Joe handed Gold the basket.

As he did so, Gold pressed another hundred into his hand. "Here. Go buy some books."

The younger man gaped at him. "Aww, Mr. Gold, I can't take this . . .!"

Gold closed his hand firmly over it. "Yes, you can, lad. Take it and find your own happy ending. Like I just did."

"He's something else," Joe said to Belle.

"It's why I married him," she laughed.

"Congratulations, Mrs. Gold . . . and thanks again!" Joe said, and he tipped his cap to them before getting back in his rig and driving off, his hand in his pocket where the two hundred dollar bills rested. With those two for parents, that was going to be one lucky baby, he thought, whistling as he turned down Madison Avenue.

Rumple escorted Belle inside, still trying to process the extraordinary surprise he'd been given . . . and wondering just how the rest of the family was going to react to this unexpected news.


	8. Strangers Like Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bae, Emma, Henry and Alina visit Ellis Island and discover something surprising

"It's a good thing we came here now," Baelfire said to Emma as they made their way through the Ellis Island Museum. "Since it just reopened after closing down because Sandy flooded it."

"I know," Emma said, looking around at the time line of immigrants on the wall of the Registration Center. "And to think, this place also burned down because of a fire on June 14, 1895, and it was rebuilt."

"A phoenix from the ashes," Henry said, reading a plaque on the wall about immigrants coming over from all parts of Europe to find something better in this new homeland.

"Look at the little ships they came in on," Alina said, pointing to the black and white photos of the ships many of the immigrants came on. "How could you survive in those tiny things for weeks on end?"

"Hey, you do whatever you have to," her brother said. "Though I bet it wasn't easy. A lot of people got sick and some of them died before they even got here. Glad that wasn't me back then. I'd have probably thrown myself overboard."

"Why?" asked Emma.

"Because boats and I don't mix," Bae said ruefully. "At all. Ask my papa sometime about the fishing trip we tried to go on. He made a deal with one of the fishermen in our village to take a skiff out for a day and fish the deep waters of the lake nearby."

"And what happened?" asked Henry eagerly. "Did you catch . . . like some monster fish?"

"Did something attack the boat, like some creature?" asked Alina.

"No. We got about halfway out into the water and I was so sick I could barely sit up. Puked my guts out like you wouldn't believe. My poor father! There he was stuck in the middle of the lake with a seasick kid."

"What did you do?" Emma wanted to know.

"Well, he was going to go back, but I didn't want to ruin the fishing trip, so I said he should stay . . . so he did, and he caught two pretty big fish . . . and I just curled up in the bottom of the skiff and thought about dying," Bae chuckled. "And that was the last fishing trip in a boat I ever went on."

"How old were you?" Alina asked.

"Uh . . . nine, I think," her brother answered. He peered at the photographs and shuddered at the small cramped quarters most of the steerage passengers lived in for months while they crossed the Atlantic from places like Poland, Russia, Greece, Italy, France, Spain, and China.

"Look, Dad. You can watch this video of people coming to America on a ship," Henry said, pointing to a screen where a movie was playing depicting the trials and tribulations of the immigrants coming over.

Bae paled. "No thanks, tiger. Just _looking_ at that's making me sick." He turned away from the monitor.

"Then I guess a Disney cruise is out of the question," Emma teased.

"I'll fly to Orlando," her husband said. "I don't mind the plane, but a ship of any kind is no go, Em."

"You know, there are these patches for motion sickness nowadays," Alina remarked.

Bae snorted. "They've got Dramamine or something like it in them. I'm allergic to it. So . . . no boats. Besides, flying's quicker."

"When are we going?" Henry asked.

"Uh . . . let's finish this vacation first and worry about that later," Emma interjected. "Come on, let's see what's over here, in the next room."

They continued on into another part of the museum, and learned about the procedures they used to screen the immigrants before they were allowed into the country. Emma's eyes widened when she heard of the crazy medical practices some of the immigrants were subjected to.

"That's horrible!" she whispered angrily. "Some of these people gave up everything to come here and they could be turned away by some stupid thing as a cold or something? That's barbaric! Where'd these people get their medical degrees? Cracker Jack boxes?"

"You never know," said Bae. "Glad that wasn't me back then. Look at where they kept the immigrants under quarantine." He gestured to the facsimilies of small rooms, almost like prison cells.

Emma made a face. "Looks like jail . . . and they had to stay here how long?"

Henry read the card. "Until they were cleared by a doctor . . . and some of them were sent back home."

"How, if they had no money?" Alina asked.

"Maybe they rowed their own boat back," Bae said.

"What if they had kids? What happened to them?" Henry wondered.

"It says sometimes the parents and children were separated," Emma read. "And the children were permitted to stay with relatives . . . if they had any over here."

"And if they didn't?"

"I guess they were like orphans," Alina surmised.

"You know . . . in a way some of these people were rather like us," Bae observed.

"How do you figure that?" asked his wife.

He beckoned them to a corner of the room and lowered his voice. "See, a lot of these people came here looking for something better, but sometimes what they found wasn't always what they thought. I mean, look at this sign over here. It says that back in Italy, they were told the streets were paved with gold over here and when they got here, not only were the streets not paved with gold, they were expected to pave them. That's kind of like what I expected when I came here . . . that it was going to be some kind of perfect world, without magic, and everything would be better. Only it wasn't . . . it was just different from where I'd come from."

"It's like I always say . . . you don't get anything for free," Emma said. "You have to work for anything you want . . . and make your own happy ending."

"And sometimes you find family in the most unexpected places," Henry said.

"Some of these people came here with nothing, they were strangers in a strange land, just like us" Alina pointed. "Everything was different for them . . . but they had hope and somehow they made a new life for themselves. Just like we've tried to."

"Alina's right," Henry agreed. "These people . . . they are kind of like the citizens of Storybrooke."

Emma and Bae had to agree with the two children, the parallels were similar. Only the reasons why they had come had been different.

They moved on into another area, where they found stories written by the ancestors of those who had passed through Ellis Island, showing how these immigrants had made new lives for themselves and their families, or in some cases, became separated from their family and had to learn to start a new one . . . and only years later were reunited with the original family they had lost.

Emma found herself choking up as she read the story of a person's great grandmother, taken from her sick father at a very young age, around four, and given to a state facility . . . where she grew up without the family she might have had . . . and yet managed to make a good life for herself as the owner of a restaurant . . . and twenty years later . . . the family she thought was lost forever found their way to the door of her establishment . . . and the branches were reunited.

 _In a way . . . that's what happened to me . . ._ she thought. _I was that little girl lost . . . alone in this great big world . . . until I met Bae . . . and then I lost him too . . . but then I was reunited again . . . with him . . . and with my parents . . ._ _I got a second chance . . . to have a family . . ._ Emma thought, finding the story profoundly touching. She thought of how she still harbored some resentment towards Snow and David for their "abandonment" of her, had she seemed incapable of letting go of the past . . . until now. Somehow reading this story of a family fractured and then reunited made her realize something she hadn't before.

That holding on to her resentment and dwelling on the past was actually preventing her from truly getting a second chance with her parents. She read what the ancestor of the little girl had written after meeting their cousins who had come over from the old country. _We were all of us from one family, one blood, one heritage, and no matter how many miles or an ocean separated us, or how many years we'd spent apart, when we met, it was as if we'd always know each other, and we found we belonged together, and what had gone before didn't matter. All that mattered was that we had found one another, and now we could forge a new beginning out of the ashes of the old, and become a whole family again._

Blinking sharply, she stared at the plaque on the wall, thinking how the story reminded her of her own . . . only she hadn't truly forgiven her parents. She had allowed the past to get in the way, and because of that, had never really accepted them fully . . . not the way she should have. She accepted Rumple and Belle as her in-laws and family more easily than she had her own parents. She thought of the way Snow sometimes looked at her, with deep regret and longing, and she understood for the first time that their decision had hurt them as much as it had her . . . and the only way to mend it was for her to forgive them . . . and then to go on.

_All that mattered was that we had found one another . . ._

That was the motto of her family . . . that they always found each other . . . how strange to find it echoed here . . . or maybe it wasn't so strange after all. Bae had been right . . . there was no perfect world, and the people here were similar to any other in the Enchanted Forest. She had found her family at last . . .both her old and new one . . . and she could be truly happy . . . if she just let go of the past.

Her hands clenched upon the brass railing involuntarily.

The choice, she realized, was and always had been hers.

Bae noticed her sudden tension and moved over to put an arm around her. "Hey, you okay?" he asked.

Emma nodded. "I'm fine, Bae," she answered, and then she breathed out sharply, letting go of the tension that had gripped her. "Just thinking about something, is all."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah. I am," she answered . . . and for the first time, she truly felt all right. She smiled up at her husband. "Let's stop in the gift shop and then we can head back. There's something I need to buy."

"Sure," Bae said, then looked over at the two kids. "You two hungry or what?"

"Yeah, Dad. I could go for a hot dog," Henry said.

"We passed a Sabrett cart before we got on the ferry," Alina recalled. "I could have a hot dog and some fries."

"And Cinnabons," added her nephew.

"Okay. As soon as we're done here, we'll get some food," Bae told them.

"Bae, read this," Emma said, and she showed him the story of the immigrant family lost and then found.

Baelfire read, and then he nodded slowly. "Emma . . . this is . . . almost the same as us . . . in a way."

"I know. Isn't it funny . . . how similar our stories are?"

"Which story, Mom?" asked Henry.

"This one," Emma indicated the story she meant.

So Henry and Alina also read and they agreed with Emma. Then Henry said, smirking, "I can think of another family who's like us."

"Who's that?" asked Emma.

Henry began to whistle a familiar theme song, his eyes dancing with sheer mischief. "They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky, they're altogether ookey," he snapped his fingers twice, then continued, "Their house is a museum, where people come to see 'em, they really are a scream," Henry chanted, snapping his fingers again and again. "You know . . . _that_ family."

Emma stared at him. "Henry!"

"What? It's true," he said, trying to look innocent.

"Henry!" Emma frowned.

Her son started giggling.

Then Bae reached out and smacked him lightly on the back of the head. "Smartass."

Alina snickered. "Like father, like son." Then she ducked as her brother went to swat her too.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

After Emma had stopped in the gift shop and made two purchases, they hopped back on the ferry and left Ellis Island and returned to Manhattan. They stopped by the hot dog cart Alina had seen earlier, and all of them got a hot dog, or in Baelfire's case, two of them with Sabrett Onions n' Sauce, some fries and ketchup, along with water and soda. They ate them leaning up against some buildings, and watching people walk by, savoring the delicious taste and sharing the fries between them, Bae with Emma, and Henry with Alina.

"I wonder how my parents and Regina are doing in Times Square?" Emma asked, biting into the last bit of her hot dog with mustard and relish.

"Hopefully they're having a good time," Bae said, eating some fries. "Like my parents in Central Park."

Alina paused before she bit into her hot dog. "Bae . . . you called my mother yours."

"I know. Because she sort of is to me," he replied. "She's a lot better than my real one . . . and we're all family now, so . . ."

Alina grinned. "That's great. She's gonna be so happy. I think she always wanted a son."

Bae laughed, then tousled her hair. "Well, she just got her wish, huh?"

Emma smiled quietly to herself and patted the bag she'd gotten from the gift shop at the Ellis Island Museum. There was something in there she wanted to share with the family . . . as soon as she put it together, that is. "You know, I think I want another hot dog," she said, and went to get one.

"And look," Alina pointed to a familiar sign across the street. "Cinnabons!"

Henry immediately gave Bae puppydog eyes. "Dad, can we get some? Please?"

"Okay, tiger. With extra frosting?"

"Umm . . . of course!" both children chorused, and then they happily pulled Bae across the street.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

_Times Square:_

"Mommy, lookit the Coca Cola sign!" Regina called excitedly, pointing up at the huge light up sign of the famous beverage.

"Now I'm thirsty," David said, staring at it. There were tons of lighted signs and advertisements in the square, but that one dominated most of them.

"Well, there's a vendor selling some," Snow pointed at the small cart that sold drinks and hot pretzels and candy.

"Okay. Want some?" David asked, digging into his pocket for his wallet.

"Yeah!" Regina said eagerly. "And that big pretzel too."

"You want that too?" Snow said, somewhat dismayed. "But Regina, we haven't eaten dinner yet."

"So what?" David said. "We can all share it."

"But Daddy . . . I want my own," his daughter whined.

"Okay, whatever. We'll split one, Mary Margaret," he said, then jogged over to the cart while his wife waited with Regina under the huge Coca Cola sign.

Among all the hustle and bustle, Snow and Regina looked out on the plaza of large signs, colorful and striking, and a plethora of famous buildings too. There was a Toys R'Us sign, a Disney Store sign, a Budweiser marquee, Chevrolet, and Hard Rock Café New York. At one end was the Broadway theater district, where they would go to see the play _Beauty and the Beast_. They could also see 1 Astor Plaza, the Brill Building, the Bank of America Tower, One Times Square, where the New Year's Eve ball drop was held, the Mariott Marquis hotel, as well as some major businesses, like Morgan Stanley, Viacom, and MTV Networks.

Snow held tightly to Regina's hand, for she was taking no chances on her intrepid toddler slipping off from her here, where it seemed like thousands of people came and went. She had seen this site on TV, and in several movies, like Spider Man, Deep Impact, and I Am Legend. But the reality was much more awe inspiring, loud, and exciting.

David soon returned with the pretzels and Cokes, and they sat on a bench and ate them. Afterwards, they got up and strolled along the plaza, trying to get Regina to work off some of her energy before they went and stopped for food.

The little girl was like whirlwind, towing along Snow and David in her wake as she ran and looked at all the glittering signs and peered in the windows of several shops along the way.

They passed a man walking a Dalmatian, and Regina halted and pointed over to it. "Daddy, see, it's Pongo! But where's Archie?"

Charming smiled and said, "Sweetie, that's not Pongo, just another Dalmatian who looks like him. He's at home with Archie."

"Oh. I wish I had a dog," the toddler stated.

David exchanged glances with Snow. "Well . . . you can put it on your Christmas list for Santa," he told her.

"And if you're good, maybe you'll get a puppy for Christmas," Snow added.

They passed a large TV screen, and the theme from The Wizard of Oz was playing, and it showed the Wicked Witch of the West trying to throw a fireball at Dorothy, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Woodman.

Regina stopped and watched it, crying, "That's a bad witch, Mommy!" she pointed to the screen.

"I know, honey," said Snow. "They need to throw a bucket of water on her."

"Yeah. Or throw her in jail," David said.

"Nah," Regina disagreed. "They need to call Unca Rumple. He can change her into a slug and put her on a rock. Or spank her with his cane and send her to bed with no dessert."

Snow started laughing. So did David.

Regina looked at them. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," Snow said, picking her up and hugging her. "That's just . . . a really interesting way of handling that problem."

"You can say that again," David chuckled. "Okay, who wants to eat over there?" he pointed to the white Hard Rock Café building.

"Yeah! That's a cool sign!" said Regina.

"I wonder if they play music while you eat?" Snow mused as they made their way over to it.

"We'll find out," David said, and then they went inside.

After about a twenty minute wait, during which they listened to some rock songs and Regina sang "Follow the Yellow Brick Road." while they waited to be seated, they were eating potato skins and mozzarella sticks and drinking lemonade, Coke, and Shirley Temples, in Regina's case. Snow ordered a reuben and David had a New York burger with the works on it, and Regina got a grilled cheese and curly fries.

They all enjoyed the food and the music playing as they ate. They even had small sundaes, and then Snow insisted on shopping for a bit in the gift shop, where she bought T-shirts that said Hard Rock Café New York for everyone.

They rode the subway home, with Regina half-dozing on David's lap for most of the ride back, though she woke up when they reached the Plaza and were going up in the elevator.

When they got back to their suite, they found the rest of the family already gathered inside. Henry quickly grabbed Regina and led her over to the couch, where Rumple and Belle were seated, and said, "Okay, now we're all here, Grandpa. So what's the big surprise?"

"Let me guess," David said. "You won the lottery."

"Better, dearie," Rumple said, looking indescribably happy. "Belle and I are expecting."

"Expecting what?" Henry asked, puzzled.

Alina poked him. "Duh! A baby! My mama's having a baby."

"Really? Then you're gonna be a big sister!" Henry said, smiling.

"Congratulations!" Snow said, hugging both Belle and Rumple. "I'm so happy for you!"

"That's great!" Charming said. "Uh, when's it due?"

"Umm . . . in about seven months, I think," Belle said.

"I knew it," Emma said, grinning.

"Oh . . . my . . . God!" Bae cried, looking shocked. Then he started chuckling. "You're having another kid? Papa, you old dog . . . I guess you've still got it, huh?" He winked at his father knowingly. Then he went to hug him and Belle. "That's really awesome! Maybe I'll get lucky and have a little brother this time."

Only Regina remained rather aloof at the news, frowning at her uncle and aunt, as if trying to puzzle something out. Finally, she came up to Belle and said, "Auntie Belle, where's the baby? I don't see it here."

Belle smiled at the little tot and said, "That's because the baby's not here yet. It's inside me . . . here . . . in my tummy . . ." she picked up Regina's hand and guided it to her still flat stomach. "It has to get born, and then you can see him or her."

"Oh," the little girl said, still frowning. Then she looked at Rumple. "Unca Rumple . . . how'd the baby get in Auntie Belle?"

"Err . . . umm . . . well . . ." Rumple stumbled over his words, turning rather red. He should have been prepared for that question, especially from Regina, who had a habit of asking difficult ones.

"Yeah, Papa, how _did_ it get in there?" Bae asked, smirking. Then he started laughing, leaning on the couch.

Rumple glared at him. "Don't get sassy with me, boy!" he half-scolded, and promptly swatted his son on the back of the head.

But Regina was not to be deterred and asked again, "Unca Rumple, how _did_ it get in Auntie Belle's tummy?"

Rumple finally regained his tongue and said, "Ask your mommy, Regina."

Snow shot him a Look. "Oh, thanks ever so much, Rumple!"

Regina turned to Snow. "Mommy?"

"Well . . . umm . . . it's kind of . . . like magic, Regina. True love put the baby in there, because Auntie Belle and Uncle Rumple love each other very much . . . and that's what happens when you do," she said, rather proud of that explanation.

Until her daughter said, "Okay . . . then when are you and daddy havin' one?"

Henry and Alina started giggling hysterically.

Snow groaned and said, "David. It's your turn."

Charming gathered himself, then said, "Uh . . . not for awhile yet, Regina. Mommy and Daddy need to wait awhile . . . since we already have you _. . ._ "

"Good one, Nolan!" Rumple snickered.

" . . . and Uncle Rumple's biological clock is ticking," David added slyly. "Tick tock, dearie."

" _What?_ " Rumple cried, half-outraged. "Like hell!"

Bae nearly fell on the floor. "Okay . . . I'm gonna die right now!" he vowed, laughing uncontrollably.

Henry looked at Alina while the adults cracked up. "I don't get it," Henry said.

"That's because it's one of _those_ ," Alina said, rolling her eyes. "And we'll understand when we're grown up."

"Oh. Our family's crazy," Henry said. Then he whistled a familiar tune and snapped his fingers twice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> who knows what tune Henry keeps whistling?


	9. Family Trees and Fendi Purses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family ties are discussed and Rumple educates the women on how to tell a real Fendi purse from a knock off . . .

After everyone was done kidding around, for the most part, Snow and David handed out the Hard Rock Café shirts to everyone, they each had a different color, from Rumple's black to Emma's green and Regina's hot pink. Belle had sapphire blue and Alina lavender, while Henry had gold and Bae red. Charming had white and Snow had yellow. They all thanked Snow for the thoughtful gift, and then relaxed with some microwave popcorn and hot cocoa.

David helped Regina get into her frilly Wizard of Oz nightgown, with her matching "ruby" slippers, and Sofia in one arm. The toddler then proceeded to show her family how she could tie Sofia's boots, receiving praise for her achievement from all of them. She then proceeded to ask all the men in the family to tell her a story, and they all agreed.

"I'll go last," David said. "So I can tuck her in."

"And I can go first," Henry said. He pulled the children's version of _The Wizard of Oz_ up on his Nook and read it to Regina, who clapped after the Wicked Witch was defeated and Dorothy went home to Kansas.

"That was a cool story! Thanks, Henry!" she said, and hugged the older boy.

"You're welcome, Regina," he said, smiling at her and then he hugged her back. "Okay, now go over to my dad, and he'll tell you another one."

Regina padded over to where Bae was sitting in the recliner and climbed up into his lap, saying, "Your turn now, Bae!"

Bae grinned and said, "Okay, chatterbox." He looked over at his son. "Henry, give me your tablet."

Henry went and gave his father his Nook, and Bae downloaded a story. "Ready? This is the story of a little boy who lived a long time ago in China called _Tikki Tikki Tembo._ "

Regina giggled. "That's a funny name, Bae."

"Yeah, it is, isn't it? But his real name was much longer than that."

"Like Unca Rumple's name is Rumplestiltskin?" the toddler queried.

"Yeah, kind of like that. But this kid's name was _really_ long," Bae explained. "Because of an ancient Chinese custom where parents gave their first born sons long elaborate names that everyone had to say completely—and thank you God we didn't have this custom where I came from."

"What was it, Bae?"

"His name was Tikki Tikki Tembo-no Sa-Rembo-chari Bari Ruchi-pip Peri Pembo," Bae recited. "And that meant The Most Wonderful Thing in the Whole Wide World."

Emma shook her head. "That poor kid must have taken ten minutes just to write his name in school!"

"Yeah, his parents weren't _too_ full of themselves, now were they?" Belle said, rolling her eyes.

"And I thought _my_ name was bad to spell," Rumple remarked.

They all listened as Bae read the story of Tikki Tikki Tembo and his little brother Chang who were playing beside a well and how first one boy and then the other fell in the well and had to be rescued, but Tikki Tikki Tembo nearly died because his name was so long that by the time his brother managed to say all of it he'd almost drowned from being stuck in the water so long. But finally the boy was rescued by the Old Man With A Ladder and from then on the custom changed and Chinese boys were gifted with short names that everyone could pronounce.

Regina had fun with Bae trying to pronounce that ridiculous name and seeing which one of them could say it faster. The little girl squealed with glee when Bae declared she won that contest, then made him read it again just so she could say the boy's name again.

Emma smiled as she listened to her husband, and said quietly to Snow, "He's really good with little kids, isn't he?"

Snow nodded. "All the men in this family are. Especially Rumple. Watch when he tells Regina a story."

"Will he use magic or something?" Emma asked.

"No. But he does something really neat. Right, Alina?"

Gold's daughter nodded. "Yeah, Emma. He's the best storyteller. You'll see why."

"I know why," Henry said, coming over to hug his mother.

"Why?" Emma asked, looking at him.

"You'll see," her son said mysteriously.

"All right, imp. I'm done, now go see Uncle Rumple," Bae said, and received a kiss on the cheek from the tiny girl before Regina got down and ran over to Rumple.

"Unca Rumple, tell me a story!" she said, and lifted her arms up for him to pick her up.

"How do you ask, Miss Nolan?" the sorcerer asked.

"Pretty please with sugar on top!" Regina said, beaming at him.

"Okay, little imp," Rumple agreed, and he scooped her up and put her on his knee. Then he tapped her ears and said, "Now, all good little girls put their listening ears on and be very quiet," he put a finger to her lips, "while I tell you an old tale that happened long long ago in a far away land. Once upon a time, there lived two little girls, sisters, called Snow White and Rose Red, in a small cottage with their mommy, since their daddy had died in a war when the girls were babies. . . ."

Rumple continued the tale, telling of how the sisters were both pretty little girls, though Rose Red had dark hair and brown eyes and Snow White was fair with china blue eyes, and Rose was outgoing and loved adventures, while Snow was quiet and preferred reading to running about outside. But the two girls loved each other very much and their home was a happy one, until the night Rose went and answered a knock at the door.

And here Rumple rapped on the table, simulating someone knocking.

"When Rose Red opened the door she saw . . . a huge bear standing there and she was so scared she screamed," Rumple said, and then he screamed just like a little girl, making everyone jump, save Belle, Bae, Alina, and Henry, who were familiar with Rumple's storytelling embellishments.

Regina bounced on his knees, giggling. "And did the bear eat her?"

Rumple shook his head, his brown eyes twinkling. "No, dearie. For this wasn't that sort of bear. Instead he said, "Don't be afraid. I'm half-frozen, and all I want is to thaw out in front of your fire, for it's beastly cold out here." And as he took the bear's part, Rumple's voice shifted to a deep growly one that rumbled deep in his chest.

Then as quick as a blink, his voice changed to high and soft as he had Rose reply to the bear and invite him inside as long as he promised to do them no harm.

"And so the deal was struck, dearie, and into the cottage came the big black bear, black as pitch, with a pelt dark as a moonless night . . ."

Emma gasped. "My God, he's like watching a play!"

"Yeah, Papa always does voices when he tells stories," Alina said, smiling affectionately at her parent.

"He's an incredible mimic," Snow chuckled. "Listen."

Emma sat almost as spellbound as Regina as Rumple continued the tale of Rose Red and Snow White, shifting voices whenever he came to a different character, including making his voice high and squeaky, nearly reminiscent of the one he'd sometimes used as the Dark One, when he did the evil dwarf who tried to trick the girls into giving him the bear's treasure hidden in the forest.

He growled and bellowed so realistically when then bear returned and fought the evil dwarf that Regina almost jumped off his lap, but an instant later he said, "Did I scare you, dearie?"

Regina shook her head, "Nope! I like when you scare me, Unca Rumple!"

Her uncle laughed softly, "Okay, and then the bear chased the dwarf all over . . ."

"That's freaking amazing!" Emma said. "Where'd he learn to do that?"

Bae shrugged. "I have no idea. But he always told me stories like that before bed back in the Enchanted Forest. I thought everybody's dad did." He smiled reminiscently, recalling a small cozy cottage like the one in the story, where a small boy lay curled beneath a sheepskin-lined blanket woven lovingly by the spinner who told him such fantastic stories, drowsing before a crackling fire while listening to tales like the one Rumple was telling Regina.

Alina came and leaned against Belle on the couch, her dark eyes dreamy as she too recalled Rumple telling her bedtime stories like that when she was small, and even after that, when she had been injured and in the hospital recovering from a concussion after being beaten up by Tom Mason at school.

Belle put an arm around her and together they all listened as Rumple concluded the tale, and the bear's curse was broken and he became a prince again and married Rose Red and Snow White married his younger brother and they all lived happily ever after.

"Okay, Regina, now it's time for all little girls to go to sleep," Gold said, now speaking in his normal voice again.

"Aww! Unca Rumple!" she began.

"Ah ah!" he held up a finger. "Good little girls that go to sleep when they're told get a surprise at the toy store tomorrow. But bad little girls that stay awake and argue get nothing at all. Do we have a deal, dearie?"

Regina pouted, her little forehead scrunched as she considered. Finally she huffed, clearly put out, but then she said, "O- _kay_ , Unca Rumple! I go to sleep now." Then she kissed him on the cheek and said, "Goodnight!"

"That's my girl," he praised, and kissed her back. "Now say good night to everyone else and then go in by Daddy and he'll tell you the last story."

So Regina went and kissed everyone else goodnight, and then went inside the bedroom she shared with Snow and David.

David was waiting to tuck her in after she had used the potty, and he sat with her after smoothing the covers over her, and said, "Okay, baby girl, Daddy's going to tell you the story of a princess and a unicorn—"

But Regina shook her head. "No, Daddy! Want you to sing instead! Sing the pretty horses song."

David smiled. He might not be able to do voices like Rumplestiltskin, but he did have a beautiful tenor, and he began singing Regina's favorite lullaby, " _Hush-a-bye, don't you cry, go to sleep my little baby. When you wake, you shall have, all the pretty little ponies . . ."_

He tucked Sofia beside her and sang about all the different colors of ponies, and gradually the child's eyes grew heavy and soon they shut, until by the last stanza, Regina was sleeping soundly, her doll in one hand, her cheek nestled against the white pillow like a dark-haired cherub come down to earth.

"Good night, my princess," her father murmured, kissing her and then rising to leave the room.

"That was good, David," Snow said to her husband.

"Yeah, well, tomorrow it's you girls' turn," Charming said.

"Great," Emma sighed. Then she recalled what she had bought on Ellis Island and went to get it out of the bag to show the family. "When we were on Ellis Island," she began, carrying something wrapped in brown paper into the den, "I realized something . . . that everyone who came here to America had a past they sometimes wished to forget . . . and they were trying to make a new life from the ashes of the old one. Just like we did in Storybrooke. And sometimes . . . sometimes families were separated, for years even, yet somehow they always found their way back to each other."

She began unwrapping the object, saying softly, "Uh . . . what I'm trying to say is that . . . for a long time I . . . was angry about being sent through the wardrobe and growing up here alone . . . and even though I understood why you did it, I still resented you for making that choice . . . but now I see . . . you did the right thing . . . . and it's time to forgive what's gone before and get on with my life. Because what's important is that we're all together now, as a family."

"Oh, Emma!" Snow was crying silently, and then she hugged her daughter.

David came and did the same on the other side, also blinking back tears. "Thanks, Emma. This means . . . everything to us."

"It does to me too . . . Mom and Dad," Emma said, calling them for the first time by their true title. For the first time it didn't feel awkward, but fitting. She brushed tears from her eyes too. "I didn't realize how much I was hurting all of us by not letting go of my resentment until I read a story on Ellis Island about an immigrant family separated by circumstances . . . and who were finally reunited with each other . . . decades later. And I realized then that I was being selfish, acting like I was the only one who'd ever grown up alone . . . without a family . . . when there were others just like me . . . and some of them never got a second chance like I did . . . so why waste it?"

Then she finished unwrapping the package, revealing a large frame of cherry wood with a picture of a tree of intertwining branches and spaces to write in your own ancestry. "This is a family tree I bought, I figure it's time we started recording this stuff, especially since Belle and Rumple are going to have a baby. We don't want the poor kid to be totally confused, now do we?"

"Our family tree is kind of . . . convoluted, dearie," Rumple said, coming over to examine the chart sitting in the middle of the frame.

"Yeah, that's why I wanted your input before I started writing," Emma said, taking out a dry erase marker from the bag. "The chart here is made of the same stuff they make dry erase boards from, so we can add or erase names if we need to."

In the center of the trunk was a space to write a family name. Emma wrote "Gold". Then she wrote her name, Emma Swan Gold in one space, and next to it Baelfire Gold. Beneath them she drew a line and wrote Henry Gold. Above her name, she wrote, Mary Margaret "Snow White" Nolan and next to her David "Charming" Nolan. Then she drew another line below them and next to her own and wrote Regina Nolan.

Above Bae's name, she wrote Milah and Rumplestiltskin Gold, then next to Gold's name on the other side she wrote Belle Gold and drew another line below them and wrote Alina Rose Gold and next to her wrote "baby Gold" beneath a second line.

"Okay. Now this is where I need you guys to help me," Emma said. "That's as far as I know." She looked at Snow. "What were your parents called, Mom?"

"My father's name was Leopold and my mother was Eva," Snow told her.

Emma wrote them down. Then she added another line above Snow's name and wrote Regina Mills. "Because she was your stepmother, and I think that's how we can all refer to her from now on . . . just so things don't get confusing. Umm . . . what were her parents' names? I know her father was Henry, she named you after him," she said to her son.

"Her mother's name was Cora," Rumple answered.

Emma wrote Cora and Henry Mills above Regina Mills.

"Cora . . ." Bae muttered. "Like . . . the Queen of Hearts?"

"That's her mother, dearie. They're one and the same," Rumple replied.

"Flaming hell!" Bae swore. "You mean to tell me I was held captive by Regina's _mom_ all those years?"

"I'm afraid so," Rumple sighed. "She pushed her mother into a portal to Wonderland just before she married Leopold, and that's where she remained ever since."

"It's too bad nobody ever tried to chop off her head," Bae said bitterly.

Rumple reached out and patted his son on the shoulder. "I know. I'm sorry I didn't take care of her when I had the chance long ago."

"You knew her, Papa?"

"Yes. She was one of my apprentices," the master sorcerer sighed. "The first one, actually. One of the worst mistakes I made, teaching her magic. But . . .hindsight's always twenty-twenty, as they say."

"Yeah, well, what's done is done," Bae sighed.

Emma looked at Charming. "Dad, who were your parents?"

"My mom was named Ruth and my father was a shepherd named David as well. I had a twin brother called James, and my stepfather was King George," David recited.

Emma wrote their names above David's. Then she looked over at Belle and Rumple. "Your turn. Belle, I already know your father's name is Maurice," She wrote Maurice French above Belle's name. "And your mom?"

"Her name was Alina, like my daughter's," Belle replied. "She died when I was seven."

Emma wrote that in, then looked at Rumple. "How about you, Rumple?"

"My father's name was Colin, dearie. And my mother's was Daria, she was a spinner, like me," Rumple told her. "And don't forget my little sister, Rhea."

"Right." Emma continued writing, adding Rumple's parents and then Rhea "Vasilisa" Sparrow, her husband Jack, and her two children. "What are their names?"

"Her son is William, and her daughter is Jessalyn, I believe," Rumple replied.

After she had added the Sparrows to the family tree, she said, "Is that everyone? Or am I missing someone?"

"Well, I do have a half-brother I've never met," Bae said. "Milah's other son, Jimmy Hook, or Jones, or whatever they call him."

"Okay," she added a line and wrote James Hook below Milah and Killian Jones (Captain Hook) next to Milah's name. "Anything else?"

"My grandparents on my dad's side were called Amber and Kyle Shepherd," David said. "Unfortunately, I don't know much more than that, since my family couldn't read and write and we really didn't keep records like that."

"I know Milah's parents were called Sasha and Peregrine Skopos," Rumple said.

"I have a distant relation who's a . . . err . . . highwayman," Belle said. "Name's Flynn Ryder . . . he's a distant cousin on my father's side. And he married a princess named Rapunzel from another kingdom."

"And I have a third cousin on my mother's side named Aurora," said Snow. "She was engaged to marry Prince Phillip before she was put under a sleeping curse by Maleficent." Then she said, "If I had access to my geneology books, I could give you a more detailed summary of how we're all related, but it's too complicated to try and put down here, Emma."

Belle nodded. "My mother had a cousin, Talia, who ran off to live with the elves of Silvanwood. It was a big scandal back in the day, because royal ladies just didn't do that sort of thing, but she did. Broke with every tradition in the book and said to hell with everything and ran off with her elven ranger beloved, Gavin. They called her the Lady of the Silver Bow, because she had a bow made of silverwood that always hit its target . . .I used to want to meet her when I was girl."

"Looks like marrying unconventionally runs in the family," Rumple smirked.

"There's a lot of history to cover," Snow said, yawning. "But what we've got so far will do for tonight. I'm going to bed."

"Same here," David said. "Or else I'll be too tired to go shopping in Chinatown tomorrow."

"Is that what we're doing tomorrow?" Henry asked.

"That and going to FAO Schwartz," said Alina. "Right, Papa?"

"Yes. And we'd all better get some sleep. We don't have to get up too early, but we probably should get started around ten o'clock, right, Bae?"

"Yeah, ten's good," Bae said.

Emma carefully wrapped up the family tree and the frame again and put it in the bag. Then she followed Bae into their suite, just as the Golds and Nolans went into theirs, leaving Alina and Henry to camp out on the couch, where they discussed what things they might see tomorrow until they fell asleep mid-sentence.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

Belle woke up around six o'clock the next morning, careful to not wake a sleeping Rumple, her stomach felt funny, as it had for the past morning. She made her way out of the bedroom, figuring a cup of tea would settle it, and she had seen a wooden caddy with teabags in it on the kitchenette counter.

As she emerged from the bedroom, shutting the door silently behind her, she saw Henry and Alina asleep on the big couch, and Bae standing in front of the large bay window, dressed in his sweats and Fire Mountain T-shirt, doing some warm-up exercises.

She watched Rumple's eldest for a moment, admiring his grace and control, as he moved from one set of katas to another, reminding her of a lazy panther. Like his father, he had power and poise, and beneath it was a layer of calmness and gentleness that she knew was an intrinsic part of him, like his generous heart. He was, she thought, very much like Rumple, though she assumed he got his looks from his mother.

Smiling, she made her way into the kitchenette, recalling Emma's sudden reunion with her parents the night before, and wondering if perhaps she might find that same sort of closeness with her stepson one day. Not that they didn't get along, for they did, and yet Belle found herself wishing that she could chase away the sorrow that sometimes shown in Bae's dark eyes, as Rumple often lamented that his cowardice had cost Bae his mother. But knowing what she did of the woman, Belle was inclined to think that selfishness, rather than anything Rumple had done, had caused Milah to run off with her pirate lover. Clearly she had valued her own happiness over her family's, a thing which Belle could never imagine doing, since her family meant everything to her.

She carefully put the tea kettle on to boil and was taking a cup out of the cabinet when she heard a throat being cleared behind her.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Bae asked, standing in the doorway. "You know, I can run down to this little teashop downstairs and get you something if you feel sick, Mama. Some tea with ginger works really well for upset stomachs."

Belle nearly dropped the cup on the floor. "Bae! Did you just . . . call me _Mama_?"

"Uh . . . yeah, I did. I figured it was time to start calling you that, since that's sort of what you are to me. Unless you'd rather I didn't . . .?" he said, looking rather endearing, like an uncertain small boy for a moment.

"No . . . I . . . don't mind at all," Belle said, smiling. "You just . . . startled me, that's all, when you said it," she clutched the mug to her. "I almost dropped this on the floor."

"You mean you were going to chip another cup just for me?" he teased, his mouth curving into a roguish grin. "Gee, thanks!"

"Baelfire!" she chuckled, setting the cup on the counter. She grinned back at him, and then she put a hand to her stomach. "Oh dear . . .! All of a sudden I feel like . . . " Her blue eyes widening in alarm, she suddenly rushed past him to the bathroom.

"Yup. That's what I thought," Bae sighed. "Guess I'd better go down to that little teashop I saw in the lobby and get some ginger tea with honey." Luckily, the teashop happened to open up at five o'clock in the morning, just in case guests at the Plaza wanted tea that early. Or maybe they never closed, since New York was called the city that never sleeps.

He made sure his keycard was in his pocket before putting on his sneakers and going downstairs.

**Page~*~*~*~*~*~Break**

By the time Bae returned with a small tin of ginger teabags and a jar of honey, as well as some peppermint throat lozenges, he found Belle sitting at the little table, slowly sipping some water while waiting for the kettle to boil. Not being able to find any chamomile tea, she had opted for decaffeinated, and had that in the cup on the counter.

"Bae, I'm so sorry," she began when he came back into the suite.

"For what? You're expecting and I know that happens a lot, I'm not totally clueless," he said. "Look. I found some ginger tea downstairs, you can put some honey in it to sweeten it, this stuff's great for upset stomachs, they use it all the time in Japan. It's all natural, so you don't have to worry about hurting the baby," he showed her the tin with the sachets inside. "Oh, and here's some peppermint throat lozenges, I figured you could suck on them while we were walking around today, I used to before I had a big tournament, sometimes I'd get a case of nerves and make myself sick, and these used to help me a lot."

"Thanks, Bae. That's so thoughtful of you," Belle said.

"No big deal, Mama. I hate to see anybody sick like that," Bae said, coloring faintly.

"Your father's the same way. One time I had a cold and next thing I knew he was bringing me boxes of tissues, orange juice, tea, toast, and a tray with ten different kinds of cold medicine on it, I think he bought out the pharmacy. I just looked at him and I was like, 'Rumple, what is all this?' and he just said he wanted to make me feel better," Belle laughed.

"Yeah, that time I broke my arm when I was a kid, he sat up with me the whole night after it'd been set, just in case I woke up and was in pain, with some poppy tea he'd made, and he wouldn't let me do anything for the first week. I remember I got sort of annoyed, because you know how kids are, but looking back on it, I think it's kind of funny. He can be a real mother hen sometimes." He winked at Belle. "Just don't tell him I said that."

"I won't," Belle said, sharing a secret grin with her son. Then she went to put the ginger tea bag into her cup and turn off the kettle, which was whistling softly.

"You can give me that," Bae said when she was about to put the decaf tea back. "I don't mind. Too much caffeine's not good for you."

They had just sat down at the table to drink their tea when Alina poked her head in the doorway. "What's this? A pajama party?"

"Hey, kid. Mama and I were just having some tea," Bae said. "You're up early."

"I always am," Alina said, and went to get a mug and a tea bag.

"The water's still hot, so be careful," Belle told her.

"I will," her daughter answered, going to pour some into her cup.

Just then they heard a door open, and Rumple's voice call softly, "Belle? Are you okay, sweetheart?"

"See what I mean?" Belle smirked. Then she called, "Rumple, I'm in the kitchen."

Soon Rumple came into the kitchen, looking concerned. "Belle, if you feel sick, I can—oh . . . what's this?"

"It's a pajama party, Papa," Alina informed him. "Want some tea?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You're having a pajama party at six thirty in the morning?"

"So we're a little backwards," Alina shrugged. "Who cares?" She waved him to the table. "Go and sit down, I'm pretending I'm Alice this morning."

Rumple went and sat next to Belle. "You going to cook me bacon and eggs too, dearie?"

Alina brought him his tea, fixed just the way he liked it. "Uh, nope, cause after this I'm taking the day off. For vacation, you know."

Rumple chuckled, and mussed her hair. "I wonder what Alice and Jeff will say when we tell them?"

"Alice won't be too surprised," Belle said. "She kept asking me how I felt before I left, so I think she was expecting this."

"Uncle Jeff's probably clueless. Most men are," Alina said candidly, making herself a cup of tea. "But now Grace and I can babysit together! With Henry."

"I really hope this kid's a boy. Otherwise poor Henry's going to be outnumbered three to one," Bae laughed.

"Four to one, if you're counting Regina," Alina reminded him, and they all laughed.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

By eleven the whole family had taken the subway down to Chinatown and was walking through the streets, looking at all the little shops, and smelling the incense and eggrolls and fried wontons some of the vendors were selling on the corner. Colorful signs in Chinese were displayed in every window and almost all the places they passed sold shoes, handbags, watches, and scarves in different colors along with various other items. Many vendors came out of their shops and implored pedestrians to see their great sales and so forth, competing with their neighbors just down the block.

All of the Golds, save for Rumple, were wearing their Hard Rock T-shirts for this outing, which Henry said made them look like either a rock band or a tour group. Regina stopped to pet a little pug sitting in the doorway of a shop, and the owner came out and said she had a dress perfect for the little girl.

"Mommy, can we go see?" Regina asked, after getting licked thoroughly by the pug.

"Um . . . well . . ." Snow considered.

"I have a very good sale going on. Show you the best merchandise in my back room," the owner told her, smiling.

Snow looked over at Emma. "Shall we?"

"If she's showing us the back room, it's probably good," Emma said.

"Yeah, Papa keeps the best stuff in the back room in his shop," Alina added.

Snow rushed inside with Regina, followed by the rest of the women.

David looked at Rumple and said, "They're like a herd or something."

"Dearie, if there's one thing I've learned, it's never get between a woman and serious shopping," Rumple said, leaning against the wall. "Otherwise you're asking to get knocked down and trampled."

"Yeah, you've never been to a sale at Walmart in Phoenix," Bae said. "All the women line up with their carts before the doors even open and once they do it's like a horse race, they're off and it's like get out the way, bitch, get out the way, because I'm getting to those freaking Chips Ahoy before you do and I don't care if I mow down Grandma. They're like . . . animals."

"Really?" David said.

"Oh, yeah. Trust me," Bae nodded.

"Cool! Dad, look at this dragon," Henry called from a table outside the shop next to the ones the girls were in. "It says it's made from ancient marble!"

"Let me see that," Bae said, walking over to where his son was and picking up the little figurine. "For five bucks? Henry, this ancient marble was probably quarried right here in Brooklyn, right after Sandy came through."

"You mean, it's a fake?"

"Probably, but it's not bad for five bucks. Want one?"

"Nah. I'll wait and see if I can find one that's real jade or something," Henry said.

"I can help you with that. I know what real jade looks like," Bae told him. He put an arm around his son and they walked back to where Gold and Charming were standing.

Fifteen minutes went by, and Henry looked at more displays in the shop windows and then asked, "What are they doing in there, buying the whole store?"

Just then Snow came out with two bags, and Regina holding a stuffed panda, and Emma, Belle, and Alina were all holding scarves and purses.

"Did you get a good deal, dearies?" Gold drawled.

"Oh, you wouldn't believe it!" Snow cried excitedly. "Regina got this costume of a princess for like fifteen dollars and then she showed us all silk scarves and they were ten dollars each so we all got one and then she had these Fendi purses . . ."

"That just happened to be marked down because of water damage, right?" Rumple asked.

"How'd you know?" Snow gasped.

Rumple smirked. "Oldest trick in the book, dearie. Let me see that," he indicated her shiny new Fendi purse.

"Here. Isn't it gorgeous?" Snow said, bubbling over with her good fortune.

Rumple examined it closely for a few minutes, then said, "It's gorgeous, dearie. For a knock-off." He handed it back to Snow.

"What? What do you mean?"

"That's not a real Fendi, dearie. It's well made, but no Fendi, even a used one, goes for fifty dollars," Rumple explained. "Look at the stitching . . . you can see here it was done rather hastily . . . and Fendi has double whipstitched interiors and hand stamped logos."

Snow gaped at him. "You mean . . ."

"We were had," Emma frowned.

"In a manner of speaking," Rumple said. "Did she actually _say_ these were Fendi?"

"Uh . . . she said they were like it," Belle said.

"And she sold you a remarkably good knock-off for a pretty good price. That's perfectly legal. Let me see that scarf, Alina." He took the scarf from his daughter and ran it through his hands. "This too. This isn't pure silk . . . half maybe, and half something else . . . rayon maybe . . ."

"How do you know all this?" Emma asked.

"Because I used to make clothes, dearie. Here, you can feel the difference. Touch my Ferragamo, Emma." He held out his tie for her to feel, having it inside of a pocket of his coat.

She did, and then felt the pretty magenta scarf she had, frowning. "You're right. Damn! I should've known better."

"Don't feel bad, Mom. I almost bought a dragon made in Brooklyn," Henry said.

"Next time, I'm taking _him_ with me," Snow said. Then she brightened. "But we had fun, didn't we?"

"Uh huh. Unca Rumple, lookit my panda bear," Regina said, shoving the bear at him.

"Well, isn't he lovely?" Rumple said. "Very nice, dearie. Now Sofia has a friend."

"Yup!" Regina said, then she skipped over to David. "Daddy, see my princess costume?" She showed him the bag with it inside. "I'm gonna be Snow White for Halloween!"

David looked like he was about to fall over. "You're going to _what_?"

Alina and Henry suddenly clamped their hands over their mouths, giggling hysterically.

"Snow White, Daddy. You know, like the movie with the seven dwarfs," his daughter told him. "And the prince on the white horse."

Bae nudged him, smirking. "Yeah, David. You know . . . right?"

"Of course I do," David said, recovering himself. He gave Bae a Look. "And I'm sure you'll beautiful in it, Regina."

Alina had her face buried in her scarf, and Henry was leaning against a doorway, gasping. "She . . . wants to be . . . _Snow White!_ "

"That's so . . . ironic," Alina whispered, then started laughing again.

"What's so funny?" Regina asked, staring at the two other children.

"Nothing, honey," David said. "They just think you're cute. Right?"

"Yup. Adorable," Henry said, and gave Regina a brilliant smile.

"What're you gonna be, Henry?" she asked.

"Uh . . . I'm gonna be . . . a sorcerer's apprentice. Grandpa already gave me my costume," he told her, referring to the set of clothes and boots Rumple had given him that used to belong to Baelfire as a child.

"Cool!" Regina shrieked, and spun around, saying, "I'm hungry! Let's get some Cinnabons!"

"How about some egg rolls?" Snow suggested, feeling incredibly happy that her daughter, the former Evil Queen, now wanted to be her—or a version of her—for Halloween. "They smell heavenly."

"Yeah! And then I want an ice pop!"

"Lunch first, Regina," her mother said firmly.

"I'll get it," Gold said, and handed her a few bills.

So they all feasted on egg rolls, wontons, and house special fried rice, along with fruit infused water and ate fried red bean cakes and popsicles for dessert. The food was wonderful, tasty and hot, and they all had fun trying out the different dipping sauces and exclaiming over the variety of flavors, from sweet to spicy.

Bae led them over to the Asian market, and they spent a few hours happily shopping there, and he spoke Japanese with a few vendors, bargaining with them for candy and buying a real jade statue of a dragon for Henry the size of his hand, and an owl and a puppy for Alina and Regina.

"You know, you're really good at this kind of thing," Emma said to her husband.

"I learned from the best," he jerked his head over at Rumple.

They meandered all over the market, finally finding a shop that looked rather upscale and Rumple asked Bae something, nodded, and went inside.

He emerged in about ten minutes, carrying four bags and Belle looked at him and said, "Rumple? You going shopping too?"

"Here, sweetheart. This one's a real Fendi," he handed her a bag. Then he handed a bag to Emma, Snow, and Alina.

"How 'bout me?" Regina asked, feeling left out.

"I didn't forget you, imp," her uncle said, and reached into a pocket and pulled out a small Fendi wallet and handed it to her.

"Thanks!" Regina said, hugging it to her.

The other women all thanked him as well, finding a Fendi purse in a different shade in their bags.

"My God, this must have cost you a mint!" Snow said.

"Not really," Gold said modestly.

"Yeah, they know better than to try and gouge the master," Bae said.

"Are we all set, or do you want to shop some more, ladies?" asked David.

"No, we're good," Snow answered. "Next stop, Macy's."

"And FAO Schwartz," Henry reminded her.

"What's that, Henry?" Regina asked.

"It's like the biggest toy store in Manhattan," he answered.

"Yeah! The toy store!" the little girl cheered. Then she grabbed Henry and Rumple's hands and began pulling them down the street, crying, "C'mon, guys! Before all the toys are gone!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okay . . . FAO Schwartz here we come! Regina's gonna drive poor Rumple insane! Just a note-the book Bae read to Regina is an actual children's book called Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel and Rumple's story is of course, Snow White and Rose Red by the brothers Grimm.


	10. Golden Moments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumple has to shepherd Regina through FAO Schwartz . . .and is driven up a wall!
> 
> get ready to LYFAO!

Rumple was less than enthusiastic about entering the hallowed halls of FAO Schwartz, but because he'd promised Regina a toy, he had to keep his deal and so he allowed himself to be dragged down the street by the enthusiastic toddler, who was also towing Henry along in her wake. Rumple silently thanked God that Alina had healed his leg, otherwise he would have been in agony. As it was, he could easily keep pace with Regina, who seemed to have more energy now than the Energizer Bunny on steroids.

Just before they reached FAO Schwartz, Snow pulled Belle and Emma aside and discussed something with them. Abruptly, the women all called a halt and Emma said, "Uh . . . guys, there's a slight . . . change of plans here. Snow and I want to take Belle into Macys and shop for a little something for the baby."

"Yeah, like some cute outfits and stuff," Snow said.

"I want to help pick some out!" Alina said.

"Yeah, she's good at that," Bae said, recalling how she had picked out an entire wardrobe for him last time they had gone to the department store with Belle in Storybrooke.

"Okay, so . . . we'll all go and do that while you guys take Regina into FAO Schwartz," said Belle.

"Yeah, we need to go there like now!" Regina called, tugging Rumple's hand.

"Hold it, little Miss Bossypants," he ordered. "Now, I want you to promise me that you'll stay by me at all times . . . no wandering off, am I clear?"

"Uh huh," she nodded eagerly.

"I heard there's like this huge candy store in there," Henry declared. "And they just opened up this rollercoaster in there too . . . and some kind of video game stuff . . ."

Rumple rolled his eyes. "Just what we need. Candy and video games."

"Okay . . . so we'll meet back here at . . ." Snow looked at her watch. " . . . say four thirty? That'll give us about three hours or so. Sound good?"

"It's fine, Mary Margaret," David said. "You girls have fun now."

They waved as the guys plus Regina continued on down the sidewalk and into the 58th street entrance.

FAO Schwartz had been founded in 1862 by immigrant Frederick August Otto Schwartz and the Fifth Avenue store was the flagship store of the chain, and it was now owned by Toys R'Us. It was home to the largest selection of stuffed toys, including the German Steiff brand, and all sorts of new interactive displays, including the Muppet Whatnot Workshop and the Style by Me Barbie workshop, Madam Alexander Doll Factory, and Middleton Newborn Nursery, where you could design and customize your own dolls. It also featured the BIG Piano Play Mat, and an FAO Café with several exclusive New York eateries. There was also one of a kind luxury items, like a $1500 Jeweled Etch-A-Sketch and a Barbie Foosball table that cost $25,000 by Bonzini.

"Don't get any ideas about buying them," Gold warned as they crossed into the store.

The Grand Entrance Hall was a huge affair with over 80,000 LED lights and they all began whirling and playing music like some kind of crazed disco.

Regina was delighted, skipping and twirling like a dervish, and even Henry thought it was cool. Gold was getting a headache, and hurried through that part as quickly as possible.

As soon as they were inside the store, Regina ran back and grabbed Rumple's hand. "C'mon, Unca Rumple! I wanna see all the stuffed animals!"

"Dad, can I go into the candy store?" Henry begged.

"Yeah, okay," Bae said. "Papa, you and David go with Regina and we'll catch up later," he said, and he and Henry headed over to FAO Scweetz, where it looked like every kind of candy imaginable was being sold and there was a huge sign that said "Make Your Own Candy".

Rumple found himself surrounded by life-sized stuffed animals, like a growling tiger, a giraffe, a crocodile, a gorilla, and a Shetland pony. There were shelves higher than his head full of stuffed animals of every description, and Regina spent ten minutes looking at all the varieties and pulling down several for him to inspect.

"I like this one," she'd say. "And this one. How 'bout this one?"

By the time he'd seen several dogs, five different cats, a cheetah, an elephant, a camel, and a kinkajou, Rumple's head was whirling.

"This place is incredible!" David said. "You know, I smell coffee. Why don't I run over and get a cup while you watch her? You want some?"

"Sure. Just don't . . . take too long," Rumple said.

David headed off for the Café, whistling as he did so and staring at all the toys and displays. Kids were running everywhere, shouting, laughing, shrieking. Harried parents were running after them, with shopping carts and baskets on their arms.

"Unca Rumple, do y'like this monkey?" Regina asked, shoving an orangutan in his face.

"Tell you what, Regina," he began. "I'm going to sit over here and you're going to bring me these animals one at a time and show me them. That way you can have them all in a row and pick one." He found a long bench in the middle of this . . . stuffed animal haven and sat down, congratulating himself on his cleverness.

Regina handed him the orangutan and he set it beside him. Then she ran back to a shelf and got a black panther and brought it to him. "Look! A big Nala!"

"Yes, that's lovely, dearie," Rumple said, and put the panther on his other side.

The little girl ran back and forth, putting an entire jungle of all kinds of animals, some made by Gund, others by Steiff, alongside Rumple. At least that's what she started out doing.

By the time David returned with the coffee, carrying two cups in Styrofoam containers, he saw Regina running up to a mountain of stuffed animals, and putting a green parrot down next to a white tiger, a purple unicorn, and a blue macaw. The former prince frowned, wondering where the hell Rumplestiltskin was . . . and then he saw the former Dark One . . . or rather his head, surrounded by dozens and dozens of stuffed animals, some were beside him, some were in front of him, and some were on top of him. It looked as though a zoo had exploded in his vicinity . . . and fallen right on him.

David halted, nearly dropping the coffee all over the floor. "Rumple, what the—?" he began, his eyes widening in amazement.

"Regina, enough! I'm being smothered!" Rumple cried, trying to fight his way free of the mound of creatures.

Regina halted, dragging a giraffe almost as tall as she was behind her. "Lookit this giraffe!" she yelled.

"No! You have a whole . . . jungle here!" Rumple told her, feeling like an extra in _The Lion King_. Suddenly what had seemed such a good idea was turning into a nightmare.

David's shoulders quivered. He knew he should go and help the other man, but the sight was too hilarious to resist. He pulled out his cell and snapped a picture. _Rumple Does an Imitation of ET._

As he was stuffing the phone back in his pocket and picking up the coffee beside his feet, Rumple spotted him.

"Hey! Don't just stand there, David. Help me out here!"

"Why? You look . . . really cute there," David smirked.

"Nolan! For the love of God!" the sorcerer sputtered.

"Okay. Okay. Regina, love, I think Uncle Rumple's got enough there, so just pick one of them."

Regina halted, then looked at David and said, "But Daddy . . . I likes them _all_!"

"Well, you can't have them all . . . so pick one," her father instructed.

Regina looked at the myriad stuffed army surrounding Rumple then said, "Daddy, I want the big Nala." She pointed to the shelf with the black panthers on it.

"Okay. I'll get you that," David agreed, and picked one up off the shelf. "Now let's put the rest of these back and free poor Uncle Rumple."

Seven minutes later, Rumple and David were being pulled along as Regina led them down an aisle towards the huge display of Barbie items and a large corner that seemed devoted to child-sized tables, chairs, and tea sets.

The two men followed, sipping their coffee, and watching the energetic minx explore the different tables with the tea sets on them, some of which were made of sturdy resin and others of fine bone china. One had gold leaf rims and a matching picnic basket.

David watched proudly as Regina started to set a table, saying, "Look, she's only three and she knows where everything goes."

"That's Snow and Belle's influence," Rumple said. "They taught her proper etiquette for high tea . . . the way the royals do it in their palaces."

"I never really had to learn that," David admitted. "I was too busy learning other things . . . like how to slay dragons and ogres and stuff."

"Belle taught me a little when she was in my castle," Rumple admitted. "But just a wee bit."

As the two men watched Regina arranging the table, in a different part of the store, Bae and Henry were playing video games in the interactive arcade. Henry was playing a game called Dragonslayer, and Bae was playing one that reminded him of the old Atari Space Invaders.

After Henry had died multiple times and run out of quarters, he tugged on Bae's jacket. "Dad? Hey, Dad! You want to go on the rollercoaster now? There's not a huge line like there was ten minutes ago."

"Hold on, tiger. Let me beat this level," Bae said, working the controller like mad and blowing up several aliens.

"Dad, you said that ten minutes ago."

"That was when I thought I was dying. But now I got this energy level boost and I blew up the space station and got four bonus levels," his father answered. "I'm almost to the mother ship, Henry. Give me a minute."

Henry sighed and waited another five minutes. "Dad . . ."

Bae held up a hand. "Now now, Henry! Go ask your grandfathers."

"Dad, Grandpa would never go on a rollercoaster," Henry gasped, trying to picture Rumple in one of the small cars going down a hill at fifty-five miles an hour.

"Then ask your other one," Bae replied. He fired rapidly and blew up an invading flagship. "Yeah! Gotcha! Now it's time to kick your interstellar alien ass!"

Henry watched his parent for a few more moments, thinking that his father was starting to obsess about this Invasion Earth 6.0 game, and then said, "Okay, I'll go ask Gramps."

"Call him on my cell and ask where they are first," Bae said.

Henry pulled Bae's phone out of the pocket of his jacket and dialed David. "Hey, Gramps. It's Henry. Where are you guys? By the tea set and the Barbies? Okay. Be there in a few."

After telling Bae where he was going, Henry gave him the phone back and raced over to where his grandfathers were with Regina.

"Gramps, Dad told me to ask you if you wanted to come on the rollercoaster with me," Henry said to David. "He's still trying to beat the Invasion Earth game, and right now there's no line, so . . . want to try it? It's not really that fast."

David stared down at Henry, thinking he really needed to spend more time with the kid, and then he tossed his empty coffee cup in the trash and said, "Rumple, you mind if I go on this rollercoaster with Henry? We'll only be a few minutes. Or would you rather do it?"

Rumple looked at him as though he'd lost his marbles. "Are you kidding? Me, on one of those . . . contraptions? No thanks! You go ride it . . . I'll stay here and watch Regina serve tea to all the dollies."

"All right! Let's go!" Henry said, and dragged David away towards the newest attraction, a real live rollercoaster in the middle of the ground floor of the store.

Rumple was congratulating himself on getting the easy duty when Regina suddenly rushed up to him. "Unca Rumple, where's Daddy?"

"He . . . uh . . . went with Henry to ride that crazy rollercoaster," Rumple replied.

"Oh. I wanted him to come to my tea party," she said, looking crestfallen.

"Um . . . well . . . I guess I can come," he allowed, not liking to see her unhappy.

"Good!" she grabbed his hand and tugged him over to the table. "Okay . . . now you sit here and I'll get you some tea," she instructed, pointing to a small pink chair.

"Regina . . . I'm too big to sit on that," he began.

"No, you're not. See . . . that big lady's sitting on one with _her_ little girl," the little girl pointed to a rather large woman in a blue dress sitting with her little girl at another table.

"Don't point," Gold reprimanded. "It's rude." He glanced at the other parent. "All right," he sighed, thinking _what's wrong with me? I never was such a pushover, well maybe a little, when Alina was little . . ._ He clicked his cufflinks together and muttered a quick spell over the petite chair, just in case it decided to cave in when he sat on it.

Then he sat down at the table, thinking it was good that David wasn't here to see this . . . then again, if Charming were here, Rumple wouldn't be stuck playing tea party with a toddler . . .

Regina clapped her hands, looked at her uncle, then said, "Wait . . . I needs to get something first . . ." She ran over to a stand where there were some large pastel hats with floppy brims with rosebuds, birds, and flowers on them and snatched one off the stand.

She carried the . . . monstrosity back to where Rumple was sitting and said, "You need to wear this. 'Cause all ladies wear hats when they come to tea. Mommy said so."

"You wear it," Rumple said, thinking he wouldn't be caught dead wearing that horrendous thing. It looked like an insane millner had tried to design a wedding cake on a hat brim.

"No!" Regina cried. "I'm gonna wear the pink one, and you need to wear this one."

"Regina, there's no way I'm wearing that . . . thing . . ." Rumple began sternly.

She fastened a woebegone look at him, her dark eyes pleading. "Please? With sugar an' cherries on top? _Please_?"

Rumple groaned. Those eyes. They tugged relentlessly at his heartstrings, despite all his attempts to ignore them. "Okay. But just for a minute." He took the horrid creation—whoever invented this thing ought to have been fired—and stuck it on his head, where it immediately drooped over one eye.

Regina then grabbed a second hat and put it on her head, and tossed a feather boa over her shoulder. "Now, this is how you pour the tea . . ." she said, sounding very much like Snow when she lectured her class.

 _There is something seriously wrong with me,_ Rumple thought, counting off seconds in his head while Regina merrily chattered to him about the right way to hold a teacup and served him fake plastic sandwiches and cakes.

Henry and David had ridden the rollercoaster three times in a row before David said he would upchuck if he went on it again, so the two made their way back to where Rumple and Regina were by the tea sets. As Henry came over, he caught sight of Rumple . . . sitting at the child-sized table, on a pink chair, wearing . . . a hat with birds, roses, and _ribbons_ on it, colored a pastel lavender shade, holding a pale yellow china cup in his hand, pretending to sip it, while Regina sat across from him with an identical cup and a blue hat on her head, nibbling on a fake Queen's cake.

"Uh . . . Gramps? Tell me I'm not . . . seeing things," he whispered to David.

"What do you mean?" David asked, then he followed where Henry was pointing. And he almost died laughing. "Oh my God! I have _got_ to take a picture of this. The notorious Dark One . . . playing tea party wearing . . . _that_ hat."

He pulled out his cell and snapped a picture. Then he took another one for good measure. _The Art of High Tea With Rumplstiltskin. Dress To Impress!_

Henry smirked. "That's great. Let's just . . . wait here and see what else happens."

David nodded. They hid behind a pillar and watched as Regina dragged the former Dark One through Barbie Plaza . . . after he'd ditched the hat on the table . . . thanking his lucky stars no one had seen him in that ridiculous get-up . . .

 _Where in hell are you, Nolan?_ He thought irritably as Regina raced down an aisle crammed full of Barbies. _How long does it take for you to ride a blasted rollercoaster?_

"Unca Rumple!" shrilled the toddler. "I see Cinderella!" She pointed to a shelf high above her, where there were replicas of Disney's Cinderella (who looked nothing like Ashley Boyd) and a pumpkin coach with two white horses.

"That's nice, dearie," he muttered, thinking that half these dolls looked like they'd gone through stage one of anorexia . . . or the Starving Times in his village when he was six and the crops had all failed . . . and who the hell made the clothes for these dolls anyway . . . that one had half her . . . breasts showing and if that skirt were any shorter . . . what the hell were they trying to market here . . . fashions for tavern wenches? _Look, boys and girls, it's Ho-Bag Barbie, complete with fishnet stockings, high heels and a call book._ "Yeah, like I'd ever let my little girl play with one of these . . ." he muttered.

He looked around for Regina, not seeing her dark head bobbing along ahead of him. "Regina? Where are you, dearie?"

"I'm up here, Unca Rumple!"

Rumple looked up . . . and saw to his horror, Regina perched precariously on a shelf about eight feet above the ground, reaching for the damn Cinderella Barbie. "Regina! What do you think you're doing?" he gasped.

"Gettin' Cinderella," she called down at him, her small hand closing over the box.

"You come down from there right this instant!" he snapped, wondering how in hell she'd climbed up there in the first place. The kid was like a spider monkey. Either that or part cat.

"But Unca Rumple, I need to get this . . .!" she cried, tugging on the topmost doll.

"Regina Nolan, I swear . . .!" he growled, then he noticed the Cinderella doll starting to tumble off the shelf . . . along with several other dolls . . . _Dammit, they're all going to fall unless I do something . . ._

"Unca Rumple!" Regina wailed, feeling her sneaker begin to slip off the shelf as the Cinderella doll began to tumble off the top shelf, starting a domino effect . . .

"No!" Rumple yelped, slamming his cufflinks together.

Purple magic flared from his hands . . . arresting the falling avalanche of boxes and wrapping securely around Regina.

Panting slightly, he climbed up the shelf and grabbed the toddler in a frantic embrace. Then he snapped his fingers quickly, restoring the Barbies to their shelf before anyone happened to see the purple mist and inquire about it.

"Phew!" Henry whispered. "That was close!" He wiped an imaginary sweat bead from his brow and counted it lucky that David hadn't been there to see that, but had gone to use the men's room. Henry snapped a picture with David's cell and labeled it _Rumple Saves Regina From Barbie Avalanche._

"Don't you ever do something like that again, you hear me?" an angry Rumple scolded his charge.

Regina's lower lip trembled. "Sorry! I just wanted to see Cinderella."

"You could have fallen and broken your neck!" Rumple continued.

"But you saved me!" the little girl pointed out.

"Next time you keep your feet on the ground where they belong," he remonstrated.

"Okay. Put me down," she said, and he set her down.

"You stay—Regina!" he shouted, as the little girl suddenly bolted up the aisle to where they had a Barbie dream house on display . . . with all the furniture inside it.

"Ooo! I want one of these!" she cried, and began to play with the furniture.

"Put it on your list for Christmas," Gold said shortly, as he slid to a stop beside her. Hmm . . . maybe it wasn't such a bad idea for a gift . . . at least it would keep her occupied and out of trouble.

He slowly felt his heart return to normal as she played with the furniture in the house, then he checked his watch and wondered where the hell David was. He had agreed to watch Regina for awhile, not the whole damn time! Really, this was getting to be ridiculous!

"Unca Rumple . . . I can't get the chair to fit in the kitchen," Regina whined.

"Maybe you're only supposed to have two chairs in there," he replied.

"Nuh uh. See, on the box it's got three," she pointed to it.

Sure enough, the box did show three chairs.

"Hmm . . . let me see," he said, kneeling down to inspect the kitchen. "This table's too big, no wonder why the chair doesn't fit in here," he muttered. "Honestly, who designs these things?" He pulled out the white table and replaced it with a smaller brown one. "There!"

"Now the chair doesn't match," she pointed out maddeningly.

"Okay . . . so we'll just . . . put this chair over here . . ." he began to rearrange the furniture, muttering to himself about the design quality. "Who puts polka dots on their couches with a striped zebra patterned rug? What are they, blind?"

Henry bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud as he watched.

"Hey, tiger, what's going on?"

"Shh, Dad! You gotta see this! Grandpa's playing with Regina!" Henry pointed to where Regina and Rumple were rearranging the furniture, and arguing about what went where.

"I don't believe this!" Bae gasped.

"Yeah, it's better than watching House Beautiful!" Henry snickered, then he snapped a picture. _Home Decorating with Rumplestiltskin . . . What Every Child Needs to Know About Colors, Styles, Fabrics._

"Where's David?" asked Bae.

"He went to the bathroom. He drank too much coffee," Henry whispered. "Quick, they're going down the costume aisle. Let's follow them!"

Father and son crept after the little girl in the hot pink shirt and her uncle, making sure to stay hidden behind the end of a display of Barbie Corvettes.

"Regina, how about you pick out some shoes to go with your princess costume?" Rumple suggested.

Regina paused to look at the shoes, but then she spied something else. "Ooh! A sparkly wand! And fairy wings!" Quick as a blink, she grabbed a wand from the display and a pair of pink wings. "I'm a fairy godmother!" she cried, shoving her arms through the holes and waving around the wand.

It lit up and made realistic "magical" sounds as she waved it.

Then she put on a sparkly "diamond" tiara.

"You want that for your surprise, dearie?" Rumple asked.

She cocked her head at him. "Do you like this one?" she asked, running over to him.

"It's very nice," he said, kneeling down to see the wings and the tiara better.

"Here. Hold this, Unca Rumple," she said, shoving the pink wand at him. "I wanna see what the purple one does."

She raced over to the rack of wands and pulled down a purple wand, as well as a different colored tiara and a pair of butterfly wings. "Help me put this on, Unca Rumple."

"Wait, first we have to take this off," he began.

She tugged off the tiara and put it on his head.

"Regina! What are you doing?" he sputtered.

"Playing dress up," she replied, putting on the new tiara. Then she took off the wings and shoved the string over Rumple's head, "Here. I'm Tink and you're . . . uh . . . Vidia . . . or you can be Silvermist . . ."

"Whoa!" Rumple held out a hand. "I'm not going to be any fairy, dearie! No way! They're nothing but trouble . . . and their magic totally sucks . . ." he shook the wand pointedly and it lit up and sparkled.

Regina shook hers and it lit up too. "Make a wish!" she chanted.

"I wish your father would come back," he muttered.

Regina giggled and twirled around, the fake wand ringing and glowing. Then she bolted down the aisle, singing, "If you believe in fairies, clap your hands three times!"

"Hey! Come back here! Where do you think you're going?" Rumple cried, and then he stood up and dashed off after her, forgetting completely about the tiara on his head and the wings hanging down his back, the glowing pink wand still clutched in his hand. "Regina! This isn't funny!"

"Oh my God! Yes, it is!" Henry said, laughing so hard he almost choked.

Bae was laughing too as the frustrated Rumple darted down the aisle, the glittery pink wings flapping behind him. He quickly snapped another picture with his phone. _Fairy Couture With Mr. Gold._

"Excuse me," Rumple paused as he passed an elderly lady. "Did you see a little girl about three with dark hair run by? She was wearing . . . a fairy costume . . ."

"I think she went down there," the old lady pointed.

"Thanks!" Rumple said, and rushed off in the direction she pointed.

"Hey, sonny! Y'know . . . your wings are crooked!" she shouted after him.

Rumple blushed and muttered, "Frigging fairies!" under his breath, but he didn't dare stop to pull off the wings, lest he lose Regina.

He jogged down the aisle filled with Easy Bake Ovens and play food, the tiara askew on his head and the wand blinking and humming in his hand. "Regina Nolan, you come here right now!"

Suddenly, Regina's head popped out from the other end of the aisle. "Bibbity Boppity Boo!" she yelled, waving her wand at him.

"Hey!" he yelled, waving his own wand as he sprinted after her.

Giggling, she ducked out of view, running across the way towards some bookshelves and a table which bore a sign saying _Start Your Child on the Road to Success With Your Own Personal Library!_

"Alla-kazam!" Regina shouted, turning and waving her wand at him, making it glimmer and sparkle. "Salagadoo a mechinka doo! I got you!" Then she darted off again.

"Regina!" he snapped, charging down the aisle. "I'll bippety boppety boo you! Get over here!"

He was so intent upon catching up to her that he forgot about the wand in his hand and as he rushed past a mother and her little boy standing in the aisle, the little boy stared after him. "Mommy? Why's that man dressed like a fairy?"

"Uh . . . I'm not sure, dear . . ." she said, goggling after him.

"He's got pink wings on, Mom! Does that mean he's . . . like gay?"

"Shh! Johnnie, you might hurt his feelings!" the mother hissed, clamping a hand over her son's mouth.

Henry and Bae were nearly prostrate with laughter.

Rumple reached the end of the aisle and looked around. "Regina! If you don't stop this nonsense right now, young lady . . ." he peered around the bookshelf.

No Regina.

Then he got down on his hands and knees and half crawled under the table.

"Unca Rumple? Whatcha doin'?"

Rumple tried to turn around and back up at the same time, forgetting about the wings and bashing his head on the table. "Regina! Oww!" Rubbing his head, he half-crawled out from under the table, scowling at the little girl, who was standing there looking at him with an angelic expression on her small face.

"Why're you under the table, Unca Rumple?"

"I was looking for you!" he growled. "You know you're not supposed to run off like that—"

"But we were playin' fairy godmothers," she interrupted.

"I was not!" he objected, just as a teenager in an Izod shirt and designer jeans passed them.

"Hey, mister! Your tiara's crooked!" the boy cried, and then burst out laughing.

Flushing, Rumple yanked the tiara off his head and came out from under the table. He pulled off the pink wings and tossed them, the wand, and the tiara onto the table. "Young lady, I am done chasing you all over creation," he began in a deadly soft voice that spelled doom for anyone he directed it at. "Put that wand down right now and come here."

"No!" the little girl stormed, suddenly turning mule stubborn. "I ain't done playin' with it."

" _Excuse_ me?" Rumple now accompanied the Voice with one of his famous Looks that could strike fear into the most wayward defiant apprentice.

"I _said_ no!" the toddler snapped. It had been a rather long day and suddenly it was catching up with her and she was cranky and out of sorts. "You're not the boss of me!"

Rumple struggled to control his rising temper. There were times when he almost admired Regina's pluckiness and daring and other times (like now) when it was getting on his last nerve. "Regina Nolan, do not even go there," he ordered. "I'm not in the mood for any of your sass. Put that wand down and come here . . . we're going to find your father and go home."

His head was beginning to throb and once he found Charming he was going to give the man a piece of his mind . . .

Regina stubbornly clutched the wand in her hand. "No! You promised me a toy! An' I want this one!"

Rumple felt his headache spike. "Absolutely not. After making me chase you all over, you're not getting anything from me. You promised to behave and you just broke our deal."

"Did not! You're mean!" she cried, stamping her foot on the floor.

He took two steps forward, his hand reaching out towards her, his eyes colder than winter ice. She rarely pushed his buttons like this, mostly because he could remain calm and collected, but this bratty behavior was quickly causing the last shreds of his patience to evaporate. "Give me that—"

Regina stepped back and batted his hand away with the wand, crying, "No! Lemme alone!" Then she spun and bolted, the wand clutched in her fist, shedding sparkles and ringing like a demented doorbell.

Henry and Bae came around the corner just in time to see Regina whack Rumple's hand with her wand and then take off. "Why, that little brat!" Bae muttered, forgetting about his father's healed leg, he started forward, intending to help out.

"Uh oh," his son muttered, because not even Regina was permitted to get away with raising a hand to an adult, especially not to his grandfather.

Bae nearly collided with Rumple, skidding to a stop just as his father spun about. "Papa, I'll head her off," he started to say.

"No. You stay here, just in case she doubles back. _I'll_ deal with her," Rumple said shortly.

"Okay, Papa. Just don't . . . kill her," Bae said.

"Don't be ridiculous," Rumple snorted. "You know perfectly well I don't kill children."

Then he sprinted down the aisle and around the corner.

Regina was running as fast as she could through the section of toy trains and cars, the forbidden wand clutched in her fist. She had to find her daddy, since Unca Rumple was mean and wouldn't buy her what he'd promised, she'd get Daddy to buy her the wand instead.

Suddenly, she crashed right into a pair of legs.

Stumbling backwards, she glanced up . . .

. . .into a very familiar face, as Rumple glared down at her, his eyes glinting with disapproval and anger.

Before she could scurry out of reach, he grabbed her up off the floor. "Little girls who behave like spoiled brats don't get any toys," he scolded, and pried the wand from her small hand and set it on a shelf.

Regina burst into angry sobs, screaming and howling, and struggling to get away. "No-o-o-o! My wa-a-a-nd!"

Rumple simply tossed the angry child over his shoulder, ignoring the banshee wails and the small fists that pounded his shoulder. He strode down the aisle, searching for someplace quiet, away from the stares of shoppers and other children, so he could implement a much needed lesson.

At last he saw what he was looking for, a small alcove near a handicapped restroom which boasted a very nice leather padded bench.

He walked swiftly to it, gritting his teeth at Regina's shrieks, and sat down, quickly bringing his cufflinks together as he did so. With a thought he created an impenetrable bubble about himself and his disobedient niece, one that made them unable to be seen or heard for a several minutes.

That done, he took the screeching toddler and sat her in his lap, counting to ten twice, giving both of them a chance to calm down before saying, "You are in serious trouble, Miss Nolan. Not only did you run away from me and break your promise, you kicked me and hit me and behaved like a spoiled rotten brat. And this is all such terrible behavior gets you."

"No!" the little imp wailed. "I sorry, Unca Rumple!"

Rumple felt his heart twinge sharply, but he knew better than to let such behavior slide. _So am I,_ he thought, then he resolutely placed her over his knee, and gave her four stinging smacks, one for each year of her age, and one for remembrance.

The now repentant toddler bawled loudly and kicked her feet, but he held her firmly until the spanking was finished, and then he set her down and pointed to the corner near the wall. "Now go stand in the corner and think about what you've done."

Still sobbing, Regina obeyed, one hand reaching back to rub her stinging bottom, remorse and anger warring within her. A part of her knew she'd been dreadfully naughty, but another part of her was angry with her beloved uncle for punishing her, so she pouted and sulked and cried the entire five minutes she stood there.

Rumple just sat there on the bench, his head in his hands, wondering if he'd spanked her too hard, though he knew perfectly well he hadn't, but he hated making her cry, even if it had been necessary.

Finally, he called, "Regina, come here, dearie."

The little girl turned around and sniffled, "M'sorry!"

"I know. Now don't make me do that again, y'hear?" Then he picked her up and held her, patting her back and whispering, "There, there, little imp!"

Regina snuggled into his shoulder, crying softly for a few more moments before she asked, "Unca Rumple, do you still love me?"

"What? Regina, of course I do," he answered, flabbergasted.

"Even when I'm bad?" she asked.

"Even then. I might not love what you do, but I will always love you, baby girl."

"Forever n' ever?"

"Yes. Until the stars crumble to dust," he said, and then he hugged her close, banishing his conjured bubble with a flick of his hand.

Regina snuggled into his arms, exhausted from the long day and all of her recent shenanigans, putting her head down on Rumple's shoulder and closing her eyes. Within moments, she was asleep.

Rumple tucked her head against him, finding that he too was sleepy, and leaned his head back against the wall. He'd just close his eyes . . . just for a bit . . . and rest before he went and found the others.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

"I think he went down this way," Bae said to David, and pointed down the row of toys. "Where were you?"

"Uh . . . I was kind of hungry, so I stopped to get something over at the bakery," Charming said, sounding slightly guilty as they walked quickly down the aisle "And then I went to look for you in that video game place and I . . . err . . . started to play that race car game and I . . . lost track of time until I died . . . now where the heck could they be?"

"There they are!" Henry cried, spotting them.

"Well, will you look at that!" David said, gaping at the sight of his daughter cuddled against the man who had once been the most feared sorcerer in the realms, as he curled protectively about her, both of them sound asleep.

Charming fumbled for his cell, just as Henry pressed it into his hand.

Then he took a final picture. _Rock-a-bye Rumple and Regina, Manhattan 2013._

They were going to have some _very_ interesting photos of this vacation, he thought with a wicked smirk, as he tucked his phone back in his pocket and went to wake the two sleeping beauties from dreamland.

 


	11. Baby Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle, Alina, and the girls go baby shopping and have a really funny time

While Regina was gallivanting with Rumple through FAO Scwartz, the girls were entering Macy's Baby Boutique, a huge floor dedicated to all things for mothers-to-be, fathers, babies and their families. Belle just stared at all the . . . things around her, feeling overwhelmed and excited at all the variety and uncertain of what half of these things were for. She had not really had time to prepare properly for Alina when she was pregnant with her, as most of that time had been spent fighting with her father to get him to accept her unborn child . . . a futile effort, and so the rest of her time had been spent knitting a few things, like a blanket and booties and caps and sewing some gowns but nothing like what it should have been for the child of a royal house. She had held her newborn daughter for barely a few hours before Alice had spirited her away in a basket disguised beneath some bread to Rumple, since Maurice had put out a warrant to expose the "abomination" she had created with her beastly lover.

She looked down now at the girl beside her, the tiny baby grown and hovering on the cusp of womanhood, whom she had lost and then found again . . . and missed all those firsts she should have shared . . . her first tooth, first lock of hair, first word, first step, first pair of shoes, first dress, first day of school . . . all the things Rumple had shared with their child . . . but now they would finally experience together with this new life growing within her.

She put her arm around Alina, and looked around, saying in a small voice, "I . . . I don't know where to begin. There's so much . . . to see . . ." She made her way over to a beautifully carved white oak cradle with vines along the sides and a headboard with gorgeous hearts intertwined with roses. "Oh! This is . . . so beautiful . . . look!"

"Wow! I really like that, Belle!" Emma said, caressing the wood.

"It's gorgeous!" Snow exclaimed. "Look at the way the grain runs . . . and how the finish is so . . . shiny . . ."

"And look at the hearts and roses!" Alina pointed to them. "It's perfect, Mama! You need to buy it!"

Belle cupped a hand over her belly, still flat, still unnoticeable . . . except to her, who knew of the life she bore within. "Do you think so, Alina?"

"Yes! True love and roses . . . how much more perfect can you get?" her daughter said, her brown eyes shimmering, reminding Belle of her husband. Rumple's eyes shone just that way when he was excited.

"Okay . . . I'll take it," she agreed. "But . . . we'll have to ship it home. Can they do that?"

"Belle, they can do whatever you want," Emma assured her. "Gold's got a Black Am Ex. Once they know that . . . they'll jump through fire for you. Trust me."

"What's a Black Am Ex?" Snow asked, puzzled.

"Gold's credit card," Emma explained. "Black American Express. It's an exclusive card, given only to filthy rich businessmen. It has no limit . . . ever."

"You mean . . .?"

"She could buy Macys if she wanted," Emma laughed.

"Let's go shopping, girlfriend!" Snow giggled.

"Well . . . I guess I should buy a few things . . ." Belle said, still awed.

"Yeah, spend Gold's money, Belle," Emma encouraged. "You know he wants you to."

"Let us help you, Mama!" Alina said, grinning.

"You need to pick out a theme for the nursery," said Snow.

"Yes, but . . . shouldn't I do that with Rumple?" Belle said.

"Sure, but let's get a set of sheets and a blanket for the cradle," Emma said, and pointed to the array of sheets, blankets, and bumpers available.

Belle examined them all, and sought the other women's and Alina's input, finally selecting a soft golden yellow sheet with colorful skeins of yarn and a kitten playing with it, matching thick pads and bumpers and a small comforter. "I'm sure Rumple will want to . . . make stuff for the baby . . . like he did for Alina and Bae. And I can sew too, I made you a bib and a little hat before you were born, Alina."

"I think Papa still has them . . . somewhere in the attic or in his shop basement," Alina said. "He almost never throws anything away . . . he's got this book from when I was a baby . . . with this stuff in it . . . like a tooth and some hair. . . you should ask him to show you it sometime, Mama."

"I will. And we'll have to get a new book too . . . for this little one," her mother said.

"We can have a baby shower for you when we get back home," Snow said excitedly. "Emma and I can do it, right, Emma?"

"Uh, sure. I mean, I never had one, but . . . it can't be that hard," Emma said. "We can do a baby library too . . . I know a lot of people are doing that nowadays . . . and everyone we invite can bring their favorite kids book as part of their gift."

"It'll be fun!" Snow enthused. "Back in our first home, we had this big party when we learned I was pregnant with you, Emma, and everyone brought a little gift . . . why I think Rumple has your mobile in his shop still . . . that was _his_ gift, you see . . . now let's take a look over here and see what else there is."

They moved further into the store, and Belle saw more furniture, cribs and rocking chairs and dressing tables, armoires and changing tables, all things she was familiar with and that she planned to shop for with Rumple. But she made mental notes of things she liked, so she could point them out to him later.

She paused beside a small shelf of books and baby magazines, perusing them and thinking she needed to subscribe to several of them once she was back home in Storybrooke . . . and then she saw one titled _What to Expect When You're Expecting_ and picked it up and put it in the cart Alina was pushing. "I think I need to get this one now," she said. Then she spotted another one for fathers called _She's Having A Baby—and I'm having a breakdown_. "And I think Rumple needs to read this one!"

Emma read both titles and cracked up over the last one. "Yeah, get it, Belle! Can you imagine his face when he sees it?"

"But it might come in handy," Snow said, giggling. "You should have seen David when I was carrying . . . oh my God, he was like so hilarious . . .!"

"Papa'll read it," Alina smirked. "He'll read anything if you give it to him, Mama."

So Belle added that to the cart along with the sheets, as well as a tiny book called _Oh, Baby! The Places You'll Go! A book to be read in-utero._ Somehow that seemed fitting, for her to read to her unborn child, since she was, after all, a librarian and the wife of a learned sorcerer.

She came to a huge display of baby seats, baby 4-in-1 carseats and strollers, bassinets, and baby swings. "Oh . . . my God!" she gasped. "What _is_ all this?"

"Uh . . . well, this is like the carseat I have for Regina, only it's for a newborn," Snow said, looking at a Graco model. "And you'll need it for when you bring the baby home. See, you can also use it like a seat to carry the baby in and to put on the floor or a table, and it can go into the stroller."

"That's why it's called a 4-in-1," Emma said. "They're really handy. If I had kept Henry, I'd have definitely gotten one of those."

"I think . . . I'm going to have to keep a list of all these . . . things," Belle said. "Back where I came from, we had a carriage, but mostly we just . . . carried the baby everywhere in a sling. Or . . . if you were a noble, you had a nanny carry the baby."

"I wouldn't have," Snow said, with a wistful glance at Emma.

"Look, Mama! There's baby slings here," Alina said, showing her something called a Snuggli. "Aren't they cute?"

Belle looked at it, marveling at the soft texture and the way it was put together. "Yes, I think I'll get one of these. I want to be able to do things and hold the baby too. And Rumple will also."

Alina started laughing at the image of her father in his Armani suit with a baby sling over it, carting the baby around the shop and showing him or her off to customers. Which she had no doubt he'd do, for Rumplestiltskin had always been proud of his children. Alice had told her that even cursed, he'd never hesitated to introduce a toddler Alina to people who came by his shop when he was minding her, which he did more often than people thought.

Down another section was loads of diaper bags, disposable diapers, wipes, creams, gels, diaper bags, and something called a diaper genie. "What's this?" Belle asked, pointing to it. "Does some . . . man come out and help you change the baby?"

"I wish!" Emma laughed. "No, but it's a system where you can throw away a soiled diaper and not worry about germs and stuff, since it's all locked in here in this bag. Of course, Rumple could probably banish it if he wants to."

Belle snorted. "Uh huh. Could you imagine if he did that all the time when he needed to change the baby? He'd be so exhausted he'd not be able to walk!" She pulled out a small notepad and a pen from her purse and began writing things down.

She was astonished that in this world they had things like disposable diapers, wipes, and all kinds of creams and stuff for a baby's skin—lotions, ointments, and the like. It was a far cry from the cloth diapers and washcloths and homemade salves they'd used back in Fairy Tale Land. "How . . . do I know what's good and what isn't?"

"Well, a lot of this stuff is pretty similar," Emma said. "They're just different brands of the same thing. And . . . your OB/GYN should be able to give you a few tips. That's the doctor who'll take care of you during your pregnancy. Ashley can tell you about him or her."

"When should I make an appointment?" Belle asked.

"Probably soon after you get home," Emma told her. "I . . . can go with you for the first one, if you want. Since I know what to expect there and can tell you so you're not nervous."

"Thanks, Emma," Belle said, relieved. "What about Rumple? Shouldn't he come?"

"Yeah, but I think for the first time it's better if you and I go ourselves," Emma said. "That way next time you'll know what to expect and he can come and you can brief him on it. I know plenty of wives who go to their own appointments when it's early in the pregnancy and don't have the husbands come until they do the first sonogram."

"What's that?" asked Alina.

"That's like . . . a picture of the baby while it's in your mom's tummy," Emma said.

"A . . . picture?" Like a . . . drawing?" Belle repeated.

"No . . . like a real picture of the baby inside you," Emma told her. "It's done in the doctor's office, with a special machine and a tech and you get to see the baby inside you before it's born."

Belle gaped at her. "Is it magic?"

"No, technology. And they have such cool ones now, you can see the baby in 3D and color, better than what they had when I was pregnant with Henry," Emma said, smiling wistfully. "If you read that book, you'll see what I mean."

"So . . . you can see the baby . . . before it's born?" Belle said, amazement coloring her tone.

"You sure can. And not only that, but they can even tell what the baby is before it's born," Emma told her. "I knew before I had Henry that it was a boy, and you can too . . . unless you'd rather be surprised. But sometimes it's easier if you know, then you can pick out names and clothes and things."

"You mean . . . they can tell if the baby's a girl or a boy . . . _before_ I deliver?" Belle gasped. To her that sounded like the most fascinating magic.

"Yeah. They can tell with the sonogram, usually," Emma said. "The sonogram shows lots of things nowadays . . . it'll show how big the baby is, and how its laying inside you, and how it's developing, even if you're having twins. It's really neat."

She recalled her own sonograms, because even in prison they'd had her seen by a GYN, and it made her suddenly long to experience them all over again . . . this time without the stigma of being a jailbird and knowing she was going to give up her baby for adoption.

 _If Bae and I have another kid . . . we could do all this together . . . and this time I could be a mom from the beginning . . . the way it should be. Hmmm . . . maybe we ought to talk about this sometime . . . when we're alone._ She picked up a diaper bag in lavender with a pattern of fluffy lambs and clouds on it. "Hey, I think this is cute, Belle. Why don't you get some things, like a starter kit?"

"Okay. Why don't you help me pick them out?" Belle said, still uncertain and afraid of choosing unwisely.

"I can do that too," Alina said. "I've watched all the commercials."

So together, Snow, Emma, and Alina picked out some commonplace things to put in the diaper bag Emma had chosen, and put it in the cart.

Then they arrived at the clothing aisle, and all the girls had fun picking out adorable clothes for the newborn, sticking to neutral colors and shades, and Alina put in a stack of burpees and two receiving blankets.

"I'm sure Rumple will make the baby one, and I can crochet one too, like I did for Emma," Snow said. "I can even put his or her name on it, once you pick one."

Belle smiled. "Thanks, Snow. That would be lovely. Of course, Rumple and I might take a while deciding on a name."

"You can make another list for that, Mama," Alina said, leaning on her slightly. She was quite excited to have another addition to the family, for she had always wanted a sibling, but at the same time she was a little . . . jealous because the baby would have a mother from the beginning, the way she never did.

And that bothered her, for she was not normally prone to such feelings. How could she be jealous of a baby—the child her parents had hoped for? Biting her lip, she withdrew and went to look at some small crib toys and rattles down the way.

Snow pointed out several types of bottles and a breast pump to Belle, and the two spent awhile discussing the merits of nursing over bottle-feeding, and the kinds of formula available in case Belle couldn't nurse her baby.

Emma watched her mother and her mother-in-law, a little enviously, for she hadn't had the opportunity to even consider that aspect with Henry, and she noticed Alina standing beside the toys, looking pensive. She suddenly felt a strong kinship with her sister-in-law, who was probably feeling a combination of happy and a little apprehensive.

"Hey," she said, going over to the eleven-year-old. "It's kind of . . . overwhelming, huh? That your mom's . . . having another one, I mean."

Alina looked up at her. "Yeah. I mean, I'm really happy, I've always wanted to be a big sister, and I know my parents really want more kids, but . . . sometimes . . . I think about . . . everything I missed by not having a mom . . . you know what I mean?"

"Yeah. Boy, do I ever," Emma said, hugging her. "You, me, and Bae. We all missed out on that."

"I know," Alina said, leaning against her. "And there's nothing we can really do about it, so there's no sense crying over it. But sometimes . . . I think about what this baby's gonna have . . . and I can't help feeling . . . a little jealous. Isn't that stupid?"

"No," Emma said seriously. "It's not, kid. It's normal. That's kind of how I felt . . . after my parents adopted Regina. I was happy for her and for them, and yet, a part of me was like, how come she gets to have what I never did? What I used to dream about when I was little?"

"So what did you do?"

"Well . . . I talked to Bae about it, for one thing. And he told me that the only thing I could do was to spend more time with my mom and dad now that I had them. It wouldn't make up for the years I'd lost, but it would help me feel like part of their lives now. So I did . . . and he was right. And gradually I started to enjoy having Regina there too, because she was funny and cute and she . . . looked up to me, and I'd never had that from anybody before, except Henry. So I stopped resenting her and now that I've put aside the past, I found I'm a lot happier." She smiled down at her small sister. "We've got a kooky family, but at least it's ours."

"Yeah. But I wouldn't trade it for anything," Alina said. "Want to help me pick out some toys, Emma?"

"Sure, kid. But you do know that your dad's gonna buy out like a department store when he goes shopping with your mom later on?"

Alina laughed. "Yeah, I know. They'd better rent a U-Haul."

Emma grinned. "The kid's gonna be spoiled before it's even born."

"Only a little," Alina remarked. "Because the funny thing is . . . about my papa, he can buy whatever he wants, or whatever any of us wants, but . . . he's never been about things . . . I mean he likes them and all but . . . he's not obsessed with them like a lot of rich people are. I guess that's because of where he comes from . . . and what he used to be . . . when I was little, he used to tell me a story about a man who gave everything away to some orphans, and he'd get me whatever I needed like for school or whatever, but I never got things for nothing."

"You mean, he made deals with you?"

"Umm . . . yeah, but I also had to . . . earn stuff I wanted. I had chores to do with Alice around the house . . . I still do, because he says that if you work something you appreciate it."

"He's right. You do," Emma said. "I know that better than anyone." She picked up a soft rattle shaped like a dog's face. "Woof! Woof! It's Pongo."

Alina chuckled. "I hope Archie's having a good time with Nala while we're away. I wonder how Nala's going to be with the baby? Now she won't be Papa's only baby anymore."

"I don't know, kid. Cats were never my thing, but I guess if you introduce her to it the right way, she'll like him or her."

"Papa can do it, since she's his chosen human," Alina smiled. Their cat loved all of them, but especially Rumple. Which was funny, since he was the one who'd objected the most to the kitten she'd gotten from Henry as a birthday gift.

While Emma and Alina talked, Snow and Belle picked out more things for the baby and Belle spoke with a salesperson and arranged for them to all be delivered to their hotel suite and some of them, like the cradle and the sheet set, shipped home to Storybrooke.

As she helped her "sister" pick out baby things, Snow found she was also suffering from a bit of nostalgic longing, since she hadn't been able to go through this with Emma. Thanks to the curse, she had missed out on her daughter, like Belle had with Alina, and Emma with Henry. So many lives had been broken due to the Evil Queen's curse.

But now, she thought, maybe they could all pick up the pieces and go on. They all had a second chance now, and they mustn't waste it. And perhaps . . . just perhaps . . . it might be time to discuss with Charming the possibility of another child . . . one that she could raise, like Belle's new baby, from the beginning. They would have to see, she mused. She was happy for Belle, knowing how much she had wanted another child, but Snow also wanted a child she could raise from a newborn, and experience everything she had missed out on with her two girls. Just maybe . . . a little later . . . like after Belle had her child.

"Look! Isn't this bib adorable?" she held up a bib with a dish and a spoon on it and the familiar Hey Diddle Diddle nursery rhyme.

"Yes, and how about these socks with giraffes on them?" Belle picked up a pair of tiny socks, imagining how it would be to dress her baby for the first time.

She imagined holding the new life inside her, and sharing all the moments with Rumple she had missed out the first time because of the Evil Queen and her fanatical father, who had torn her family asunder out of hate and jealousy. But not this time. This time they would all be together, a family forever, and nothing would ever separate them again.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

_Three hours later:_

After they'd awakened Rumple, the Gold men had made another quick detour into the candy store to get a few surprised for their wives, Alina, and Regina. Regina was so exhausted she remained asleep even after Charming took her from Rumple.

"Looks like you tuckered her out," David said to his "brother".

"She did the same to me," Rumple stated. He told David about all the things Regina had done, including the fact that he'd been forced to spank her for being a total brat just before he'd fallen asleep with her on his lap. "I didn't really have a choice—" he began.

"Hey, I'm not mad at you," David hastened to tell him. "You're family, you're free to correct her when she needs it, Rumple. I trust your judgment, and if you hadn't done it, I'd have had to . . . so thanks for sparing me that. This time at least." He looked at the stuffed panther he'd been carrying around. "Guess I'd better pay for this, huh?"

Rumple nodded. "I have a few things I need to pay for as well." He turned to Henry and whispered something in his ear.

Henry nodded and whispered something back.

A few moments later, Gold went up to one of the Personal Shoppers employed by the company and spoke to him for several minutes, then went to a register and paid for several things in cash.

Bae looked at him, puzzled. "What were you buying, Papa?"

"Christmas presents," Rumple answered.

"Christmas presents?" Bae repeated. "In July?"

"I don't like to wait till the last minute," Gold replied. He had bought presents for Regina, Bae, and Henry, unknown to them, including the fairy wand and costume Regina had been wearing today, the Barbie Dream House, and a video game each for his son and grandson. He would, of course get Henry and Bae something else, but it was a start, at least.

They met up with the girls as planned, and returned to hotel, happy but tired from the day's excursions. They ordered sandwiches and pizza from the pizzeria and the sub shop next to it, enjoying the simple food and also the candy the guys had picked out from the sweet shop.

Henry and Bae had made peanut butter chocolate cats for Alina with the candy designer at FAO Schweetz, and Regina had a caramel apple cake for dessert, while Henry had little candies that were called cinnamon vanilla soda suckers, another custom made treat.

Just as they were finished eating dinner, there came a knock at the door of the suite.

David opened the door to find several bellhops standing there with various packages and bags. "Can I help you?"

"This is a delivery for Mrs. Belle Gold, sir. May we come in?"

"Uh, sure," Charming stepped back and the parade of bellhops and porters spilled into the suite.

Belle directed them to put certain things down, and the men all stared at the array of packages.

"My God, Emma, what'd you girls do, buy out Macys?" asked Bae.

"Something like that," his wife laughed.

"Looks like you had fun, dearie," Gold said, smiling at Belle.

"Lots of fun, Rumple! And just wait till you see what we bought," his wife said.

They all had fun seeing what the ladies had picked out for the baby, and Belle gave Rumple the book she had bought for him.

He took one look at the title and said, "Am I that bad, dearie?" before he started laughing. "Well, I did need something to read on the plane back to Storybrooke."

Charming went pale at the mention of the dreaded plane ride, and started thinking about tranquilizers, vowing to ask Bae or Rumple where he could get some.

After they had put everything away, Bae asked Rumple and Charming if they wanted to go down and watch a football game on the TV at the hotel bar.

Rumple agreed, but vowed to not drink anything stronger than Coke, and soon the suite was left to the women and children.

Henry and Alina were watching an old rerun of The Addams Family on the TV, while Belle relaxed on the couch, Emma read a crime novel she'd bought, and Snow took a bubble bath.

Regina had been watching TV, but soon she grew bored and crawled up on the couch to sit by her aunt. Curious, she put out a hand to touch Belle's tummy, and said, "Auntie Belle, is the baby sleepin' in there?"

"It could be," Belle said. "But somehow I don't think so." Though the baby was too tiny for her to feel it move, she had a surreal instinct that somehow it was awake right now. "Would you like to listen to me read a story I bought for the baby, Regina?" Belle asked, taking out the book she had bought.

Regina nodded and Belle began to read the _Oh Baby_ book to her and the little one. It was a short book, but it made Belle smile and Regina laugh.

"Auntie Belle, can the baby hear what you're saying?" she asked then.

"Yes. I think it can," Belle answered. "That's why I read to it just now. So it can learn my voice."

Regina put her hand on Belle's tummy and said seriously, "Okay, baby. I need you to put your lissening ears on like Unca Rumple says . . . 'cause I need to tell you something important. My name's Regina, and I'm your big cousin. And I can teach you all kinds of things . . . like how to play fairy godmother and tie your shoes and play hide and seek. Oh, and pour tea. But you gotta 'member that I'm the boss of you, like Alina n' Henry are to me, so you be good an' lissen when I tell you to do somethin', okay? Or else I'll tell Unca Rumple on you an' he'll spank you an' put you in the corner for bein' a bad baby an' . . . umm . . . dis' pecting me."

Belle's shoulders were quivering by the time the little moppet was done with that speech, and she looked over at Emma and they both started laughing.

"Boy, I guess she told the kid how it is!" Emma giggled.

"Uh huh," Belle's blue eyes twinkled.

"What's so funny?" Regina asked.

"Nothing, little imp," said her aunt, and she ruffled the toddler's dark hair. "You're such an adorable minx, Regina Nolan. And I'm sure your baby cousin will be very glad to have you teach him or her."

Regina nodded. Then she went and picked up Belle's shirt and kissed her tummy. "That's a butterfly kiss. Now go to sleep, little baby." The little girl put her head on Belle's lap then and began to sing in her childish treble her favorite lullaby.

When she was done, she yawned and said, "Auntie Belle, I'm kinda sleepy."

"Maybe I ought to get her ready for bed," Emma said, putting her book down and getting up. "C'mon, chatterbox. Let's get you into your nightgown. That way you'll be ready for bed once Mommy gets out of the bathtub."

Regina kissed her aunt and Henry and Alina goodnight, then followed Emma into the bedroom where she stayed with Snow and David. While Emma hunted for her nightgown in the suitcase, Regina went and used the bathroom next to their bedroom.

Emma helped her into her nightgown and pulled back the sheets. "Okay, now let's get you tucked in here."

Regina crawled into the bed, then just as Emma was going to pull the covers up, cried, "Oh no! Emma, I left Sofia on the couch by Auntie Belle! I need her to sleep with me. An' my new kitty, Shadow too! He's by Alina."

"Hang on. I'll go get them," Emma said, and went to fetch the doll and the stuffed panther.

But when she returned, expecting to find Regina resting, she found the toddler bouncing on the bed, giggling and singing some song about five little monkeys.

"Regina! Ah ah ah!" Emma half-scolded. "You're supposed to be getting in bed, not jumping on it."

She handed her small sister Sofia and Shadow.

"But Emma . . . it's fun!" Regina stated, kneeling and jumping up and down. "See? See?"

Her enthusiasm was infectious, and even though Emma knew she was far too old to be taken in by a three-year-old like this, she found herself sitting on the bed and letting Regina bounce all over it.

Next thing she knew, she was bouncing on the bed too, and Regina was singing, "Five little monkeys jumpin' on the bed! One fell off an' bumped his head. Mama called the doctor and the doctor said—"

"No more monkeys jumpin' on the bed!" Emma finished the old rhyme, and took Regina's hands and they both gave a tremendous bounce, making the bed shake.

"Uh oh!" Regina gasped.

"Damn! I hope we didn't break the bed," Emma muttered.

"What's going on in here?" Snow queried, coming in to kiss her youngest goodnight.

"Uh . . . we were . . . err . . ." Emma began guiltily.

"We were singin' five little monkeys, Mom!" Regina told her. "An' I taught Emma how to bounce."

Snow raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"I . . . uh . . . was going to tuck her in . . ." Emma said, looking rather ashamed. "And she was jumping so I . . .uh . . ."

"You were playing," Snow said knowingly. She smiled happily. "That's great!" Then she joined them on the bed.

"What . . . are you doing?" Emma asked, staring.

Snow took one of Emma's hands and then Regina's. Then she began to sing and bounce on the bed too. "Five little monkeys jumpin' on the bed . . ."

Soon they were all bouncing on the bed and it was shaking back and forth, and the three Charmings were laughing like loons.

Suddenly, the bedroom door opened and Belle, Charming, and Rumple stuck their heads in to see what in hell was going on in there.

"What the hell?" David gasped upon seeing his daughters and his wife jumping on the bed like a couple of schoolgirls.

"That looks like fun!" Belle started giggling.

"Yeah, until the bed breaks, dearie," Rumple smirked.

"You could put it back together," his wife said.

"What's going on?" Henry asked, coming to see.

Now aware they had an audience, the three froze.

"Uh . . . hi!" Snow said, smiling brightly.

"What are you girls doing?" asked Charming.

"We're . . . uh . . ." Snow stumbled, searching for an explanation.

"They're having some mother daughter time," Belle interjected.

"Yeah," Emma agreed, flushing a little.

"Really, dearie?" Rumple raised an eyebrow.

"That's right," Snow said. "It's a new kind of therapy."

"Then I hope you bill Archie when the bed breaks," Rumple said.

"We haven't broken anything," Emma objected.

"Whatever, dearie," Gold shrugged.

Henry looked at his mother, grandmother, and aunt. "Cool! Hey, Alina! Let's bounce!" Then he took a running jump and landed in the middle of the bed.

"Me too!" yelled Alina and soon she had joined them.

"I don't believe this!" Rumple cried.

"Hey, see what you started?" Charming said, shaking a finger at Snow.

"Oh, be quiet," Snow ordered, then they all joined hands and started singing and bouncing.

"Hey, what's going on?" Bae asked. He stared at the children, his wife, and his mother-in-law and then blurted, "O-kay . . . and what the heck did they have to drink?"

"Whatever it is, maybe we should get some," David said.

Rumple sighed. "Move, dearie. You're in my way."

"What are you doing?" David wanted to know.

"It's called reinforcement," Gold answered, tapping his cufflinks together. Then he gestured at the bed. "There! At least I won't be charged for a broken bed when we leave."

"Neat trick," Bae said. "You want to do it to ours too?"

Rumple gaped at him. "Why? You planning on breaking yours?"

"You never know. Sometimes things happen," his son smirked.

"Baelfire!"

"Just saying."

"He's your son, all right, Rumple," Charming declared gleefully.

Rumple glared at him. Then his mouth curled in a reluctant grin. "I'll take that as a compliment. I think."


	12. Lions, Monkeys, and Camels, Oh My!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day at the Bronx Zoo is a revelation of unusual and startling surprises

The next day was "zoo day", as Henry put it, and they all got on the subway at nine o'clock in the morning so they could be at the Bronx Zoo when it opened at ten. All of them were dressed in their most casual clothes, even Gold had forgone his usual Ferragamo and his suit jacket in favor of his casual Armani slacks and one of his less fancy Brooks Brothers blue shirts, because he needed the sleeves for his cufflinks.

Once they were inside the park, Emma looked at a map and they decided to go to the reptile house first, because they were having turtle feedings at 11 o'clock, and until then they could look at all the reptiles inside.

David made sure to keep a good grip on Regina, not wanting a repeat of poor Rumple's experience at FAO Schwartz, and when they came to komodo dragon exhibit, David looked at the giant lizard and murmured to Bae, "That's a lot tamer than any dragon I've ever met."

"Yeah, tell me about it. The last one almost roasted Emma and me, even with preventative magic spells," Bae replied.

"Daddy, does this dragon breathe fire?" Regina asked David.

"No, sweetie, this is a different kind of dragon," he answered. "This one spits poison . . . I think."

"Oh. Where's the other kind that breathes fire?" Regina asked.

"Umm . . . they don't have that kind here," David told her.

"Thank God!" Bae muttered. "Otherwise there'd be barbecued children."

"Nah," Regina shook her head. "Daddy'd kill it. Or Emma. She killed one too."

An elderly lady standing next to them went, "Aww! How sweet! Your daddy's your hero, right, punkin?"

Regina turned to her. "Yeah, and my mommy's a princess an' my uncle's a wizard!"

The lady laughed. "She's got quite an imagination!"

"Yeah, she does," David said, and then he picked her up and said, "Let's look at the boa constrictor, honey," and he thanked God that Regina was too young to be taken seriously by a stranger.

As they processed through the exhibits, Henry, Alina, Belle, and Rumple challenged each other to animal trivia, where they memorized facts about an animal they saw and then had to recite them back to each other five minutes later while looking at a different animal.

The four of them had a great time, though Emma said to Snow that, "Just listening to them makes me feel stupid. I don't know how they can memorize stuff like that in such a short amount of time."

"Don't feel bad, Emma. Not everybody has a head for facts like those four. I don't," her mother said.

"But you teach," Emma objected.

"Yeah, but I have lesson plans and cheat sheets," Snow admitted. "I don't have a photographic memory like Rumple."

Finally it was time to go over to the turtle pond, where one of the keepers was to watch the turtles being fed. There were a few groups of people there, including a group of grade school kids, and everyone crowded eagerly around the pool, watching.

"Daddy, I can't see!" Regina whined.

David went and put her on his shoulders. "There, is that better?"

"Uh huh."

The keeper for the turtle pool introduced him and showed everyone how this particular species of turtle ate a special diet of certain kinds of grubs and worms, making some of the school kids squeal with disgust.

Regina wrinkled her nose. "Why'd anybody eat worms?" she frowned.

"It's an acquired taste, dearie," Rumple said slyly. "Like caviar."

"Yuck! You ever eat one, Unca Rumple?"

"No, even I wasn't desperate enough to ever do that," he chuckled. "Now listen to what the nice man over there is saying."

After each kid had gotten to stroke a turtle, the keeper turned and asked if anyone had any questions. A few children raised their hands, they were about eight, and he called on one of them. "Okay. You in the red shirt."

"How can you tell if it's a boy turtle or a girl turtle?"

"Uh, well, there's a pattern—" the zoo keeper began.

"Duh, Ollie! The boys have penises!" interrupted one of his classmates.

There came giggles from some of the students and gasps from the teachers.

"Looks like they teach them the facts of life early over here," Gold muttered.

"Uh, well . . ." sputtered the keeper, trying to rein in the conversation.

That was when Regina blurted, "Daddy, what's a penis?"

David went red. "Uh . . . sweetie . . . let's go over here and see the Bug Carousel. Look, there's a grasshopper you can ride." He said, walking quickly out of the reptile house and down to a small carnival like place with the Bug Carousel, some other small rides for children, and booths that sold hot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy, peanuts, and drinks.

"Cool!" Regina shouted, and David put her down so she could run over to the carousel, thanking his lucky stars he'd gotten her out of there before the conversation could degenerate.

"Here, let's go on this grasshopper," David said, putting her on one.

Regina giggled and grabbed onto the pole sticking out of her insect, then called to David, "Daddy, do grasshoppers have penises?"

"Oh God!" Charming groaned. "What do I do?" he asked Snow desperately. "She keeps talking about it."

"Just . . . pretend you don't hear her," Snow said. "If you act like it's a big deal, she'll keep bringing it up."

"Or show her something that's more interesting and she'll forget about it," Rumple suggested. "I think there are more rides over there." He pointed to a spot further up near the exhibit of African mammals.

"Oh, good. Maybe I'll show her the zebras. She loves horses," Charming said in relief.

"That's good, honey. You know, there's a live bird exhibit over there," Snow pointed down a trail. "I think I'm going to see what that's all about."

"Maybe I'll come with you," Emma said, figuring she ought to spend a little more time with her mother, since Regina was with David.

"Mama, let's go and feed the baby llama over there in the petting zoo," Alina said, pointing to a sign that advertized feedings for two baby llamas and a goat.

Belle smiled, and said, "Okay, let's. That looks like fun."

They made their way over to the petting zoo.

Emma and Snow walked over to the aviary, which was a large round house with walls made of fine netting and shaped like a ball. The roof was also netted, and the area filled with all kinds of trees and benches and pretty foliage and pink flowers and a stream ran through it. You could buy small cups of bird seed to entice the birds to land on you, and there was also hand sanitizer and wipes for after you were done visiting the aviary.

Snow put several quarters into a machine, and bird seed poured out into two cups, she handed one to Emma. "Here. Now let's go and see what kinds of birds they have."

Emma took a cup dubiously. "Mom, I don't know about this . . ."

"Come on, Emma! It'll be fun!" Mary Margaret chirped. "Birds are our friends."

As Emma and Snow entered the aviary, Bae, Henry, Charming, Gold, and Regina had started to walk up to where they had some more rides after Regina had ridden the Bug Carousel twice on different bugs. There was an enclosure that read zebras and other related equines.

"I wonder what other kinds of animals they have in here?" Bae said, looking out across a broad grassy field.

Henry stared and then said, "Hey, Dad! I think I see some donkeys over there in the corner."

Bae looked . . . and his eyes widened. "Aw, hell no!"

"What's wrong?" asked his son. "They're just . . . umm . . ."

Bae quickly covered his son's eyes. "You don't need to see that, tiger, trust me."

Henry squirmed. "Dad!"

"You'll be scarred for life," Bae muttered, quickly turning Henry away from the rather alarming sight.

"Daddy, why are the two donkeys jumping on each other?" Regina inquired innocently.

David blushed. "Uh . . . they're . . . playing . . ."

"They're playing leap frog, dearie," Gold said, trying desperately to cover. "Now why don't we go and find some zebras?" He quickly led the three-year-old away.

"Is there anything at this zoo that isn't doing _that_?" David muttered exasperatedly as they walked quickly to the other side of the exhibit.

"Maybe it's that time of the month or something," Bae whispered.

Henry rolled his eyes. "Dad, I've seen Animal Planet, you know."

"So? That doesn't mean I want you watching it in real life," Bae objected. "Damn donkeys!"

David observed his rather red countenance and said, somewhat amused, "What's the matter, Bae? You've never seen horses at stud before?"

Bae shook his head. "No. We never had any. We had a blasted goat, I used to milk it and brush it to get hair for Papa to spin, but that was about all the livestock we had."

Regina had run slightly ahead of them and was now pointing at the zebras grazing. "Lookit, Unca Rumple. Zebras!"

"I see them dearie," he said, and put an arm about her as she climbed on the fence to see better. "Just look, Regina. Don't lean over. You could fall." _And that would be the last thing we needed . . . a toddler loose in the zebra pen._

"I like their pretty stripes," the toddler prattled. "I like 'em almost as much as the winged ponies."

"What winged ponies?" Rumple asked.

"You know . . . like on TV," she said, giving him a typical little kid stare.

"Oh. Well, we won't see any of those here. They're not real," he said, thinking or at least they're not in this land.

"Aww!" she groaned, then she laughed as one of the zebras began to run across the enclosure.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

Meanwhile, Belle and Alina waited their turn on line to get a bottle filled with special formula and feed the baby goat, called a kid, and the two baby llamas. As they got their bottles and Alina began to feed the kid while Belle fed a llama, Belle said, grinning, "This is kind of like practice for when I finally have my baby, only these babies can stand up and drink."

She laughed as the little llama butted her hand, getting milk all over her, and she petted the whispery soft coat. As the little animal latched onto the nipple and began to suck again, Alina petted the goat and said, "They sure are cute and fuzzy, Mama. And hungry. Will our baby be like that too?"

"Sometimes," Belle said, thinking wistfully of the last time she had held a baby in her arms, right after Alina had been born. She had just had time to nurse her once before Alice had taken her away to hide from Maurice and Gaston. "You can help me feed the baby and everything once it's been born."

Alina's eyes sparkled. "I know. And I can help you change it and give it a bath too. I'm not squeamish like some kids are around babies. I helped Ashley with Alexa sometimes when she needed someone to babysit after school when she worked over at Fire Mountain."

"That's great, Alina, because I know I'm going to need a lot of help the first few months, even though your father has been through this before. I'm sure you'll be a great help to me and I'm so glad you're excited about this baby." She gently removed the bottle from the llama's mouth, as it was empty, then she cuddled the little thing on her lap.

"What do you want it to be, Mama?" Alina asked, hugging the goat to her.

"Oh . . . I'm not sure. I think whatever I have is fine," Belle said.

"I know Bae wants a little brother, but I wouldn't care if we had a little girl," Alina said. "What do you think Papa wants?"

"He's said he really doesn't care either, just as long as it and I are healthy," Belle said. She slowly rose to her feet, the empty bottle in her hand. "Come on, love. Let's give someone else a turn."

Alina skipped over to her and took her hand, petting the llama, who ran after Belle bleating as they left the pen. "Aww! I think she liked you!"

"She's adorable," Belle said. Then something else caught her eye. "Look, Alina! They took our picture while we were feeding them. Shall we get it as a keepsake? We can put it in a frame and hang it on the wall with all your other ones."

Alina nodded and they scanned the wall of screens for their picture, and soon found it, the two of them sitting next to each other smiling and feeding a baby animal. "There we are, Mama!"

Belle smiled, and had the portrait lady put a cardboard zoo frame around it that said _Belle and Alina Gold, Bronx Zoo, 2013_. Now she had a picture with her daughter to hang on the wall next to Alina's school pictures and the ones she'd had taken at Christmas and Easter and other holidays with Rumple for so many years.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

While Belle and Alina were bonding over bottle-feeding, Regina had gone over to David and begged to ride a camel in the kid section of the zoo. David had eyed the camels reluctantly, he didn't really trust any animals except horses to ride, but upon seeing the fun the other kids seemed to be having on the animal, he nodded and went with Regina to buy a ticket.

"Do you want to ride one, tiger?" asked Bae.

Henry shrugged. "Maybe later."

"I'm kind of thirsty," his father said. "I'm going to go and get some water over there," he gestured behind him to a kiosk selling water, soda, and fruit punch. The line was rather long, as it was a warm day.

Rumple looked over at it and said, "You sure you want to wait on that line?"

"Yeah. I don't mind," Bae said. "Be back soon."

Henry looked around and said, "I saw a hot dog cart somewhere near here. I think over by the monkey exhibit. Can I have one, Grandpa?"

"Sure you can. Where is it?"

He followed where his grandson had pointed and soon came to a cart selling familiar Sabrett hot dogs. "How many do you want?"

"Uh . . . one big one's good. With Onions n' Sauce, please. And some popcorn."

Gold bought Henry one of the foot long hot dogs and some popcorn, and then decided he wanted one also, and got another, but with mustard and relish, and another bag of popcorn, as well as two bottles of water.

Grandfather and grandson sat on a bench and ate companionably. The bench was right near a large enclosure where several kinds of monkeys were climbing the trees and the wire mesh of the enclosure.

As he ate his popcorn, Henry counted at least five different species, including spider monkeys, Bandar monkeys, squirrel monkeys, pygmy marmosets, even a large mandrill. The monkeys seemed interested in him, trying to reach through the mesh at him, their long prehensile fingers beckoning.

Gold went to throw out some of their trash and as he did so, Henry went over to the enclosure, and held out some popcorn to a few monkeys.

The offering was quickly snatched and eaten. The boy smiled, and thought how cute the monkeys seemed, with their old man faces and bright beady eyes and long tails curling about their tree branches.

Suddenly, a monkey's head popped out of a gap in the mesh, unnoticed at first by the boy. Wriggling through the gap made by the sagging mesh, which had become weakened by Sandy's torrential rains and wind, and gone unnoticed because the hole had not been apparent a week and a half ago when the fences were checked, the spider monkey raced along the outside of the mesh and hopped right onto Henry's shoulder.

"Hey! Where'd you come from?" the boy cried, astonished.

The monkey chattered at him, and Henry said, "Okay, here. Have some popcorn."

As he fed the primate some popcorn, several other monkeys discovered the weakness in the fence and escaped as well. Before he knew it, Henry was surrounded by at least twenty different monkeys, all clamoring at him and on him for popcorn.

"Henry?" Gold gasped when he saw the boy standing surrounded by monkeys.

"Grandpa! Help! They want my popcorn!" Henry cried, and started throwing it around, trying to get the monkeys to stop grabbing him. He had monkeys all over him, on his head, his shoulders, climbing on his legs, their little fingers and tails curling about him, their claws pricking him through his jeans and shirt.

Some of the monkeys went after it, but more were coming through the gap in the mesh and scurrying over to the boy, screeching and screaming.

Frantic, Henry repelled some of them with his magic, but it wasn't enough, and he turned and ran down the sidewalk, a crowd of monkeys chasing after him.

"Dammit!" Gold swore, and threw his own popcorn at the primates, hoping to distract some of them.

But only ten sprang over to eat it, and now other patrons were screaming and flipping out over the escaped monkeys making it almost impossible for Gold to get to Henry, or to use any kind of showy magic.

Cursing under his breath, the master sorcerer ducked behind a potted palm, a huge thing that filled almost an entire corner of the walk. Then he clicked his cufflinks together.

Henry ran as fast as he could, chucking popcorn behind him until the bag was empty, then he threw that at them too. Behind him were over twenty howling monkeys and he no longer thought they were cute at all, but a crazed mob out for his blood . . . except he didn't have anything to give them. He concentrated, and summoned two more bags of popcorn to him and started tossing it at the monkeys pursuing him while slowly backing away towards a tree.

Now he could hear people running and screaming and the monkeys became frightened by all the commotion and began leaping above him into the trees and running along the metal railings of the other exhibits. "Grandpa, where are you?" he gasped, wondering if Gold had gotten attacked by monkeys too.

Suddenly, a huge tawny shape came out of nowhere, landing on four graceful paws before him. It was a huge lion, with a brown mane and tufted tail and amber eyes, muscles rippling beneath the tawny coat.

Henry nearly screamed in fear, but the lion did not attack him. Instead it turned around to face the leering monkeys and gave a single loud roar that seemed to echo in the air.

The boy smiled then. "Grandpa!" he whispered.

The great lion stood like an immovable icon before the boy, his teeth bared slightly.

The monkeys skidded to a stop and then fled in fear, scampering away as fast as their little paws could carry them.

The lion huffed pointedly, his lip curling above his fangs, his head lowered, amber eyes glaring.

A second group of monkeys appeared and raced towards the boy . . . then doubled back as the lion roared again and raced right back where they had come.

Henry grinned. "All _right_!"

The lion turned and winked at him before springing behind the tree he was leaning against.

An instant later, Rumple walked out from behind the tree and came up to Henry. "You okay?" he asked, putting his hands on Henry's shoulders.

"Fine. Thanks to you," Henry said, and hugged him.

Just then several zoo employees with nets dashed past, crying, "Hey, did any of you see a lion or something around here? Because some people swore they heard one roaring."

"No, we haven't. But there were some monkeys who escaped and chased my grandson here," Rumple answered, still holding Henry. "I think they wanted his popcorn."

"Was he hurt?" asked one.

"No. I'm fine," Henry assured them.

"Okay, kid. If you need to, you can visit the medical center. We're really sorry about this. But now we have some monkeys to round up," said one and then he dashed away.

"Probably not as many as they think," Rumplestiltskin said. "I kind of told those that were here before to get back where they belong . . . and I think they'd have listened to me."

"That was so cool!" Henry said. "I didn't know you could shift shapes like that, Grandpa."

"I don't do it often," Rumple admitted. "There's always danger in shifting. Lose concentration for an instant and you could forget who you really are and remain trapped in that shape. More than one apprentice has done that . . . and never been restored because they've gone wild and lived out their days as a wolf or a bird or something. But this time . . . the price was worth it." He gave Henry another quick hug, then said, "Why don't we try and find your father and see what he's up to?"

Henry nodded, and together the two sorcerers made their way back towards the children's section of the zoo.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

In the aviary, Snow showed Emma how to coax a bird to her hand and fed it some seed. "See, Emma? Aren't they precious?"

Emma smiled at her mother, who reminded her at this moment of nothing so much as her Disney counterpart, who was able to call birds to her hand and sing to them. "You're the one who can talk to birds, Mom," she said. She held out her own hand, which had some bird seed in it. "See, I can't do it . . ."

A yellow bird landed on her arm.

"Emma! Look!" Snow cried, pointing.

"Oh! One came by me!" she gasped, feeling suddenly joyously happy. "Look, Mom, it's eating out of my hand."

The yellow bird happily pecked the seed from her cupped palm while Emma stood frozen.

"I told you could do it," Snow enthused. "They just had to get used to you." Another bird fluttered onto her other shoulder.

A bird landed in Emma's hair and then she gasped. "Umm . . . I think this one just . . . pooped on me."

Snow quickly came forward and wiped Emma's shoulder with a tissue. "Uh . . . yeah . . . sometimes they do that . . ."

"Great," Emma sighed. "The things they never tell you in those Disney movies." Then she started giggling as the bird on her head flew onto her hand and began eating what remained of the seeds.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

"Daddy, lookit me!" Regina crowed, waving at him from the back of the dromedary she was seated on. The camel was a white one, with a colorful saddle and a blanket of many colors.

David waved back and snapped a picture with his cell, thinking how adorable his little girl was.

The camel handler began to lead the camel around in a circle, and Regina grinned and waved as she went around, just like a little princess on parade, he thought proudly.

Suddenly, there came the sound of monkeys screaming, people running and yelling, and then a something like a lion roaring.

That was enough to send the camel, normally a sedate beast, into a full blown panic.

Bawling, it threw up its head and half-reared, jerking the line out of its handler's fist and then it spun and bolted, smashing through the fence with Regina hanging onto its neck.

"Daddy! Help me-e-e!"

" _Regina!"_

Horrified, David watched the camel streaking across the ground, his baby clinging precariously to the saddle.

Instinct took over then, and the former prince went and grabbed the camel who was tied to a post, yanking the reins free and springing onto its back. "Hee-yah!" he yelled, kicking it into a run.

"Hey! Buddy, you can't just—" cried the keeper.

Charming ignored him, urging the camel into a flat lope, chasing after the runaway dromedary with Regina upon its back. "Come on! Yah! Yah!" he called to the odd beast beneath him.

The camel ran with an odd gait, but it began catching up with the white dromedary. "Regina!" Charming cried, slapping the reins down upon his camel's neck, standing up in the stirrups of the odd saddle.

"Daddy!"

"I'm here!" David yelled, as his camel drew alongside his daughter's mount. Then he leaned over and grabbed his child off the running camel's back in a maneuver he'd done a thousand times from the back of a horse during his training as a knight in King George's palace.

"I've got you, baby! I've got you!" David panted, clutching his little girl close and sitting back in the saddle. His heart thundered in his chest as he tugged hard on the reins to slow the galloping camel, but he knew one thing, and that was his baby girl was safe and sound in his arms.

Regina wrapped her little arms about his neck and clung to him, shivering and scared, but gradually her shivering ceased as she realized she was now safe in her father's arms. "Daddy . . . you saved me . . ."

"You're gonna be okay," David murmured, finally managing to stop the camel. He dismounted, Regina still held in his arms.

Several people applauded as he touched the ground, the camel's reins still clutched in his hand.

"Mister, that was amazing!" gushed one bystander. "Never saw anything like that in my life."

"Yeah, how did you learn to ride like that?"

David shrugged. "I've always been good with horses. This is sort of like one."

Bae dashed up to him. "David! I saw you riding that camel! Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Regina's camel ran away with her and I had to go after it," David explained.

Regina looked at her big "brother". "Bae! My camel ran away and Daddy saved me!" She had an arm about Charming, and a look in her eyes that Baelfire recognized.

It had been the same look he'd given Rumplestiltskin once upon a time, as a child.

The look of a child for her hero.

"It's a good thing you know how to ride," Bae said to David as they walked back towards the pen so Charming could return the camel.

"Tell me about it. Riding one of these . . . animals isn't like riding a horse, but I had no choice," David said, and he tied the camel back to the post of the pen.

"Something's happening over there," Bae said, pointing towards the opposite end of the park.

"Yeah. Something sure spooked that camel," David remarked.

Henry dashed up to them, panting slightly. "Hey, Dad! You'll never guess what happened to me and Grandpa. We were like eating popcorn on this bench beside the cage where all these monkeys were and . . . I went to see them and I gave one some popcorn—"

"Henry, I don't think you should be feeding the animals anything," Bae interrupted.

"Um . . . yeah, I know that now, but . . . anyway, all of a sudden this monkey came on my shoulder and I was like, wow, and then there were like tons and tons of monkeys all over me . . . it was like I was a tree . . ."

" _What_?" Bae gasped. "The monkeys got out of the cage and climbed all over you?"

Henry nodded. "Yeah, and I was like surrounded . . ."

"I think they got out from a weak link in the fence," Rumple said, coming up to them. "And they went after him because he had popcorn."

"What did you do?" Bae asked.

"Well, I started throwing popcorn at them but they just kept coming after me, and then I ran after I . . . err . . . repelled some of them . . . and they kept chasing me and I thought I was like monkey stew or something," Henry told him. "Until this huge lion came and drove them off and it was Grandpa, Dad. He changed into a lion and saved me!"

Bae stared at his father. "You . . . became a lion to save Henry?"

"I had to. There wasn't much I could do with all the people around," Rumple said.

"It was _so_ cool!" Henry cried, grinning up at Rumple. "My grandpa was the King of Beasts!"

"Shh! Not so loud!" Rumple reminded him, feeling an odd fluttering in his chest. It had been a long time since he'd been looked up to with that degree of awe from a boy. Not since Baelfire was around Henry's age.

"Sorry. But it was," his grandson said.

"Henry, my camel ran through the fence with me and Daddy came and saved me!" Regina boasted.

"Oh my God, David!" Snow cried, having come up just in time to hear that. "What's been happening here while Emma and I've been gone?"

"Lots of things," David replied.

"Papa, look at the picture Mama and I got," Alina said, running up to Rumple and hugging him. She showed him the picture of herself and Belle feeding the llama and the goat.

"That's a lovely picture, dearie," Rumple said, hugging Alina in one arm and Belle in the other. "We can put it up on the wall when we get home."

"Along with a lot of other pictures," Bae snickered, winking at David. He looked at Emma. "How was the aviary?"

"It was . . . interesting," she allowed. "How about you?"

"Well, I waited about ten minutes on line to get some water when all of a sudden everybody started running and screaming, so I never got anything to drink, but wait till you hear what happened to Henry and Papa and you'll see why . . ."

"Mom! Mom, wait till you hear this!" Henry said excitedly. "Regina almost got stolen away by a camel and Grandpa went all Lion King on those monkeys' asses and saved me!"

"Henry! Language!" Emma scolded automatically.

"Uh . . . sorry, but that's what happened," her son said. "The monkeys escaped from their habitat . . ."

Emma and Snow listened while Henry retold the story of the Great Monkey Fiasco or How Rumple Became Mufasa, and when he was done, Emma just shook her head. "You know, this could only happen to us."

"Got that right, dearie," Rumple said. "We seem to attract potentially catastrophic incidents."

"You can say that again," Bae sighed. "Well, I'm going to see if I can't get some water . . . again." He started back over to the vendor with the drink cart.

"Just watch out for flying monkeys, Bae," Alina called, smirking.

"You're a riot, Dorothy," he called back. Then he glanced up at the sky . . . just in case. Because with this family, you never knew.


	13. Contrasts and Compromises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bae explains a few things about life to Henry

After the rather eventful early afternoon they'd had, the Golds decided to take it easy for the rest of the day. They went around and saw some more animals, especially the big cats, like a snow leopard, and a lion family with a new cub named Leo, though Henry declared that the male lion was nothing compared to his grandfather. "He was _way_ bigger with this awesome dark brown mane and tail, and his claws were like the size of my hand."

Rumple glanced at his grandson. "I don't recall you examining my paws, dearie," he said softly.

"I was looking at them for a minute when you first jumped in front of me," Henry admitted. "And trust me, your claws were huge."

"You sure you're not exaggerating a wee bit?" the sorcerer queried.

"Nope. But the cub's really cute," Henry said, smiling as they watched the little lion climbing up and down a rock and playing with his mother's tail.

"Aww! I wanna play with him," said Regina.

"You can't, honey," Snow told her.

"How come?"

"Because that's a wild animal. Not like Nala."

"She's right, dearie. That cub wouldn't be at all happy with you if you pulled his tail," Rumple reminded her.

"Would he scratch me?" Regina asked, recalling that was what Nala had done to her the first time she'd done that.

"No, but his mama might decide to eat you for a snack," said Rumple.

"So just look at him, Regina," said David, ruffling her hair.

They went and saw some birds of prey, like merlins, goshawks, and peregrine falcons, which Bae said he liked the best for their swiftness and keen proud bearing. "I almost made the falcon a symbol for my dojo, but then I thought Fire Mountain sounded better than Fire Falcon."

Henry watched the proud raptors for a moment, then said, "Dad, did you always want to be a martial arts instructor?"

"Umm . . . not in the beginning, though I always liked karate. It wasn't until I went to Japan that I started really considering it as an option. Before . . . well, I wasn't sure what I really wanted to do. But then I met my instructor, Master Kitaro, and he taught me a lot more than just karate katas. He taught me how to work through my past, and how to release the harmful emotions and cultivate peace and serenity. He taught me the Way of the Peaceful Warrior."

Henry frowned. "The Way of the Peaceful Warrior?"

"I know, that sounds like an oxymoron, right?" Bae chuckled. "But see, being a martial arts master is all about discipline and control, it's also a study in contrasts. To be the best you've got to be both hard and soft, to stand tall like a rock and yet flow like a swift-moving stream, and to bend like a willow in the wind when necessary. Because those that bend can never be broken, and in peace is your greatest strength. And the best warriors don't go looking for a fight, but if a fight comes looking for them, they're ready and willing to kick some ass. And the greatest enemy isn't the one you face in the circle, but the one inside of you. D'you see what I mean?"

Henry nodded slowly. "First you have to face what you fear inside, right?"

"You got it, tiger. And sometimes, kid, that's the hardest battle of all," Bae said wisely. "But once you do, you can find your center, find your balance, and when you do, you can do just about anything you can dream. That was the most difficult test for me. Admitting that there were things in my past that I was . . . ashamed of, that I regretted, that I wished I could do over . . . and that acknowledging those emotions wasn't a weakness, the way I'd been taught. And that doesn't mean denying them, but accepting them. Good and bad, light and dark. All in balance." He touched his heart and said, "And you know the greatest strength of a warrior isn't here," he clenched a fist. "But here," he tapped his chest.

"Your heart," his son said.

"Right. And the heart of the greatest warrior . . . lies in his ability to love, forgive, and accept."

"That was hard for you, wasn't it?"

"Yes. But once I did that, I was at peace, my soul in balance, and all of my lessons in martial arts came easy to me. Finding you, finding your mom, finding my papa again, becoming part of a family, all of that brought balance back into my life after I lost my adopted parents and my mentor," Bae said.

"Master Kitaro's dead?" Henry asked in dismay.

"Yeah, I'm afraid so. He died soon after I returned to the States. A rare form of leukemia. I was his last student . . . and I never even knew he was sick," Bae said quietly. "His last words to me were to follow my heart and it would lead me home again. He was right. Because it brought me to you."

Smiling wistfully, Bae pointed to a white gyrfalcon standing on a branch. "See that falcon there? That was what Master Kitaro called me— _hayabusa_." He rolled up his sleeve and showed his son a tattoo on his bicep. "I got this after I learned he'd passed on, it's the character for falcon in Japanese. It was a way to remember him and what he taught me. And what I now teach my students."

"I wish I could have met him," Henry said sincerely.

"Me too," came Rumple's voice from behind them. He had been quietly listening the whole time to Bae's little speech.

Bae turned around and smiled at his father. "He'd have liked you, Papa. You too, Henry. He always told me that the greatest magic was the love of your family."

"He was right," Rumple said.

"Yeah," Bae nodded. He put an arm about Henry and another about Rumple. "Now how about we get some funnel cakes? I know I saw a stand on the map Emma had, and all of a sudden I'm craving them."

"You still like them? I remember you always did as a boy," Rumple said.

"Uh huh. And so did you, Papa."

"Me too," Henry said, and then they all looked at each other and smiled. "Let's go find some."

Then they heard a click . . . and looked up to see Belle standing there, taking a picture of them on her cell.

"What was that for, dearie?" Rumple asked her.

"A great photo opportunity," she replied impishly, and tucked her phone back in her purse.

**Page~*~*~*~Break**

The three Gold men found a funnel cake stand and happily indulged themselves, up to and including getting powdered sugar all over themselves.

Emma took one look at her husband and son and rolled her eyes. "God, just look at you two!"

"Mom, it's just a little powdered sugar," Henry said, trying to wipe it off his shirt unsuccessfully.

"Yeah, Emma. Relax," Bae said, his eyes sparkling as he dusted off his shirt.

"Unca Rumple . . . you're a wreck!" Regina declared.

Belle and Snow burst out laughing at the way the tiny child was frowning at her uncle.

Rumple just looked at her, wearing a slightly guilty expression while eating the rest of his funnel cake. "Is that a problem, dearie? It'll all come out in the wash."

"Or if I do this," Alina said, then she snapped her fingers three times and the powdered sugar on all three men vanished.

"Thanks!" Henry said.

"Not a problem," Alina replied, then she gestured with a flourish.

Bae started laughing.

"What's so funny?" his sister queried.

"You. With this," he repeated her gesture. "Like father, like daughter."

"That's my girl," her father said, and drew her to him in a hug.

Which prompted Regina to run over to Charming and hug him about the knees, saying, "Aren't I your girl, Daddy?"

"You sure are, princess," Charming laughed, and scooped her up into his arms.

"Now can we get something to eat? I'm hungry. I want chicken nuggets," Regina said.

"Okay. I think I can find some for you," said David, tweaking her nose. He had seen a booth selling all kinds of food, including chicken nuggets shaped like animals.

After they had all eaten some lunch, they watched a 3D movie based on the film Ice Age and watched the sea lions being fed. Snow stopped at the gift shop and bought everyone hats with an animal on them—a falcon for Bae, a lion for Rumple, a horse for Charming, a bluebird for herself, a cat for Alina, a monkey for Regina, a wolf for Emma, a tiger for Henry, and a lioness with a cub for Belle. On the back of them were the letters NYC.

They could wear them, she said, along with their T-shirts, tomorrow when they went to visit the Empire State Building.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

That night, the Charmings decided to go out DelMonico's, using their free adult dinner pass, as Snow put it, which was a night exclusive to each couple where they would go to a different restaurant around the city to experience New York's fine dining and atmosphere. Gold gave them his Black Am Ex, and teasingly told them not to get into trouble using it, agreeing to watch Regina for them.

After Snow and Charming had left, each dressed to the nines, with Snow in a lovely Chanel dress that was made of watered silk that seemed to sparkle like pink ice, with a shawl of pure cashmere and sparkly Gucci heels, wearing a corsage of tiny pink roses and her gold snowflake necklace, and David in a fine black tux by Versacci, which he'd bought upon Gold's recommendation and borrowed a pair of Rumple's Gucci shoes, carrying a white box under his arm, which was a present for Snow, Emma, Bae, Henry and Alina also left.

The younger set were going to see a movie, some adventure flick that wasn't appropriate for children under ten, and having dinner at some Chinese place near the theater.

That left Rumple, Belle, and Regina to order from the Plaza's room service, which Rumple did as soon as Regina stated she was hungry, ordering her some macaroni and cheese and bread with butter and ice cream for dessert. Belle and Rumple opted to have crab legs, asparagus, and mushroom risotto along with some Old Bay biscuits and some sparkling Perrier soda.

Despite the rather long day, Regina was still chattering about the zoo, and after eating, wanted to watch a movie of her own, so Rumple agreed to rent a movie, and she chose to watch _The Lion King 2_. "But first, dearie, you need to get in pajamas," he told her.

"I'll help her," Belle said, and the two went into the bedroom to put them on and have Regina brush her teeth.

A few moments later, Belle emerged from the bedroom, looking slightly distressed.

"Something wrong, Belle?" her husband asked.

"Yes, but not with me, Rumple. It's Regina. I think she's coming down with a cold. She started sniffling and sneezing and she says her throat feels funny. Like it itches. And when I felt her forehead, it felt slightly warm," Belle told him.

"Oh, no. You take her temperature?"

"Yes. I found the cool touch thermometer Snow packed and used it, she's running a little fever, Rumple. One-oh-one," Belle told him. "But she doesn't act really sick."

"She's probably not. But we ought to give her some cold medicine, just in case, and maybe some tea," he said. "Did Snow bring some?"

"Yes, she packed some children's Tylenol, but when I tried to get her to take it, she went and hid under the bed," Belle sighed.

Rumple sighed, now he recalled David saying that sometimes Regina could be be a bear about taking medicine, even ones that weren't terrible tasting. "Okay. Let me see if I can get her out. Why don't you make some tea, sweetheart?"

"You aren't going to . . . magic her out, are you?" Belle asked. She disliked using magic on children.

"Only if I absolutely have to," her husband said, then he rose and went into the bedroom. "Regina, dearie, where are you?"

For a moment, she didn't answer, then a small voice came from under the queen sized bed. "I is over here, Unce Rumple. And I ain't takin' no 'sgusting medicine!"

Rumple sighed at the belligerent tone, then knelt and peered under the bed.

There was Regina, crouched in the middle of the floor, in her purple pajamas, sniffling into her hand.

"Dearie, if you come out, you can watch the movie I got for you," he persuaded.

She shook her head. "Nuh-uh," then she coughed slightly.

"Regina, you're all stuffed up. Now come here so I can give you some tea."

"Auntie Belle wants me to take yucky med'cine."

"That's because Auntie Belle doesn't want you to get really sick. If you come and take your medicine like a good girl, you can have those zebra cookies Mommy bought for you," her uncle said.

The child thought about it. She'd been pestering Snow to have a cookie since they'd got on the subway to go back to the hotel and Snow had told her she had to wait till after supper. But then she had wanted ice cream and she knew that she was only allowed one dessert. "Can I have _two_ cookies?" she bargained.

"Yes, if you come out and let me give you a spoonful of Tylenol. Do we have a deal?"

"No! No med'cine!"

"Okay, but I guess that means you'll miss the movie and I'm going to have a cookie with my tea," he told her.

Regina gasped. "Unca Rumple! Those're _my_ cookies! You can't eat them!"

"Why not? If you're not going to, someone should, before they get stale and then we have to throw them out," he said.

"No! You ain't doin' that!" she yelled, then she crawled out from under the bed and stood there, glaring at him. "Those're mine!"

"Really, dearie? Little girls who are sick don't get cookies."

"I ain't sick!"

"Come here and let me see."

She stomped over to him and when he went to feel her forehead, he picked her up in his arms. She squirmed. "No! Put me down!"

"Stop wriggling," he ordered, carrying her out of the bedroom.

He brought her to the couch and sat down with her. "Belle," he said.

Belle came with the small bottle of Tylenol and a spoon.

Regina took one look at it and shrieked. "No!"

Belle sighed. "Regina, please take this. It'll make you feel better."

"No."

"You wouldn't be . . . afraid to take your medicine, are you?" Rumple queried, winking at Belle.

"No!" the toddler snapped.

"How about if I take it?" Belle asked, and she pretended to take some.

"You want to be brave like Auntie Belle, right?" Rumple asked.

"Yeah."

"Then you take some next."

"No, you!"

"Okay, dearie," Rumple agreed, and Belle pretended to give him some. "See? Nothing to it. Now it's your turn."

Regina agreed, but when Belle went to give her the medicine, she clamped her teeth down on the spoon . . . and Tylenol went everywhere . . . all over herself, Belle, _and_ Rumple.

"Hey!" Gold cried, staring down at his suit, now covered in sticky red droplets.

Regina scrambled free of his hold and threw herself down on the couch, howling and kicking her feet in a tantrum. "No-o-o! No medicine!"

Belle winced, for the child had a scream that could shatter glass. "Rumple, now what?" she asked, wiping her face with a towel.

Rumple scowled. "David did warn me." He looked at his niece, who was indulging in a full scale fit. "I think she's overtired."

"And sick. She needs that medicine," Belle said.

"And I need my hearing intact," her husband remarked. "Regina, stop this screeching!" he ordered firmly.

The child continued to kick and wail.

"Hmm. Let me try something else," Rumple said.

"Like what?"

"Just . . . play along with me," he told her. Then he said loudly, "Okay, dearie, you don't have to take your medicine."

Regina paused mid-yell. "I don't?" she lifted her face from the couch cushion.

"No. Because little girls that don't take medicine get a visit from Dr. Whale," Rumple continued.

Regina stared at him. "How come?"

"Because then they need to get a shot instead. Right here," he tapped her behind.

"No!" Regina yelped, putting a hand over her bottom. "I don't want no shots in my butt!"

"Oh, but you won't take your medicine, so . . ." Rumple pulled out his cell and pretended to dial a number. "Hello? Dr. Whale? This is Mr. Gold. Regina won't take her medicine, so now you'll have to come over and give her a shot. Right away."

"No! No shots!" the little girl wailed.

"If you take that teensy spoonful of medicine, I'll tell Uncle Rumple to call Dr. Whale back and cancel his visit," Belle told her.

Regina considered. Then she stubbornly shook her head. "No! He ain't here!" She buried her face in the couch cushion again.

"Now what?" Belle mouthed to her husband.

Rumple simulated a knock at the door. "Belle, I think he's here. I'm going to let him in." He went and walked to the door of the suite and opened it.

"No!" Regina gasped. "Unca Rumple, I don't want no shot!"

He glanced back at her over his shoulder. "Then will you take your medicine? Or shall I let Dr. Whale in?"

"No! I'll take it!"

"Is that a deal?" he asked.

She nodded.

"If you break it, you know what will happen," he warned.

"I'll be good!"

"Okay," he stuck his head out the door and pretended to tell Whale to leave. Then he shut the door and said softly, "Come now, dearie. Let's get this over with."

He returned to the couch and cuddled the child in his lap. "Ready, my brave girl?"

Regina sniffled and nodded.

"One. Two. Three," Belle counted. "Now open wide."

The child screwed her eyes closed and opened her mouth.

Belle popped the spoonful of medicine in. "Good job! Now swallow."

Regina did, and afterwards she opened her eyes and said, "I did it!"

"See? That wasn't so bad, was it?" Belle asked.

"I was brave like you, right?" the little girl asked.

"You were," her aunt said. Then she looked at all of them ruefully. "But now we look like refugees from a paint convention."

Rumple clicked his cufflinks together and snapped his fingers. Purple mist encased all of them and their clothes were clean in a twinkling. "That better, dearie?"

Belle nodded, thanking God the ordeal was over. "You want some tea?"

"Yes," the sorcerer said.

"Me too! An' cookies!" Regina said. "I share some, Unca Rumple."

"That's very thoughtful of you, imp," he said.

So they all had tea and ate some of Regina's black and white zebra striped cookies, and she watched The Lion King 2 while sitting in Rumple's lap.

By the time the movie was over, she was drowsing in her uncle's arms, and so was he.

A sleepy Belle took a blanket and draped it around them, then grabbed another and snuggled under it next to them.

Within moments they were all asleep on the couch.

Emma unlocked the door to the suite half-an-hour later and walked in, saying, "Hey, guys, we're back. Anybody want some Milk Duds and popcorn?"

She glanced around, and saw the three asleep and smiled. "Bae, look at this."

Her husband came in, with Alina and Henry right after him. "Looks like I wasn't the only one a movie put to sleep."

"Yeah, and you were snoring right in my ear, Dad," Henry said indignantly.

"I don't snore," Bae objected. "That was the guy behind me."

"Sure it was," Emma smirked. "Just like the guy behind you ate all my Milk Duds."

"I had two!"

"Shh! You'll wake them up," Alina hissed.

Her brother smiled. Then he took out his cell and snapped another picture. "I can't wait till we get home and put these in an album. Wait till we show Alice and Jeff and Grace. They're going to laugh their heads off."


	14. Way Up High

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the family visits the Empire State Building

David and Snow entered Delmonico's Steakhouse on 56 Beaver Street, having made reservations right after coming back from the Bronx Zoo. Neither of them had ever been anywhere so fancy, unless you counted The Enchanted Rose in Storybrooke, and though a very elegant place, it paled in comparison to the classy New York restaurant. This place oozed elegance and the patrons were clearly upper crust, a thing which shouldn't have bothered Snow and David at all, considering who they were back home.

As they emerged from the limo and walked up to the doors, a uniformed porter opened them and stood aside, saying, "Welcome to Delmonico's and we hope you enjoy your dinner."

Snow smiled at him, saying, "Thank you, I'm sure we will."

This restaurant was very old, the first of its kind in the city back in the 1800's, and still boasted the renowned cuisine and atmosphere that had made it famous. "Mr. and Mrs. Nolan?" said a waiter in tails with white gloves. "This way, please. Your table's been reserved over here. And there's a chilled bottle of Dom Perignon waiting for you as well."

"There is?" Snow stared at David. "Who ordered that?"

"Uh . . . I don't know," David said, puzzled. "Do you know?" he asked the waiter.

The waiter seated them before answering, pouring the champagne into two glasses. "As a matter of fact, the person who delivered this to you said to enjoy yourselves and his name was Mr. Gold, I believe."

Charming started laughing. "Good old Rumple! I should've known. Only he'd be crazy enough to spend over a hundred dollars on a bottle of champagne."

"That's how much this cost?" Snow gasped.

"Yeah, or so I've heard. You can Google it," David said, taking a sip. "God, this is like . . . ambrosia!"

Snow tasted her own, then said, "It is! Then again, it'd better be for that price!" She clinked her glass to her husband's. "To us . . . and a new beginning!"

"I'll drink to that," David said, grinning at his wife over the rim of his glass. "This is a beautiful place. I've got to remember to thank Rum for this. It's been too long since we've been able to go out alone this way."

"I know," Snow said, eating some of the delicious bread that was on a basket on the table. "Since Regina came into our lives, we've been too busy to think about anything else. But now . . . tonight we can relax . . . and enjoy each other." She gave him a sweet yet seductive smile.

He reached across the table and clasped her hand. "Have I told you lately that I love you?"

"You just did, Charming," she laughed. "What's in the white box in your pocket?"

"A surprise. You'll have to wait till dessert to open it," he said, giving her a roguish grin.

"David! It had better not be something . . . expensive. Like a tiara or something," she said, giggling.

"Now where would I get that?" he protested.

"Gold's shop," she said. "The man has one of everything in there, probably."

"I promise you, it's not jewelry," he said.

"I can't wait to see what it is," Snow cried, looking like an eager child on Christmas morning.

The server came back, and they ordered some appetizers and glasses of water. Snow had a plate of prosciutto wrapped melon with select Italian cheeses and David had a blue crab cake.

"Mmm!" Snow said, biting into her melon. "This is incredible! Here, try some." She put a piece on her husband's plate.

He returned the favor. "This is wonderful! Sweet and salty, just like you, darling."

Snow's cheeks pinkened. "I really want to know where you come up with this stuff."

"It just comes naturally, I guess," David returned, his eyes sparkling. "You said it yourself, Mary Margaret. I'm charming."

"And boy, was I right," she smirked, drinking some more champagne.

Charming flushed slightly. "But I'm not the one who can charm birds out of trees."

"No, but I'll bet you charmed every shepherd girl for miles around," Snow chuckled.

"Well, that was before I met you," David grinned. "After that, you were the only one I wanted to charm. And the only one that called to me. Even when you'd forgotten who I was."

"You know, David, I never _really_ forgot you," Snow said, nibbling another piece of bread. "Rumple was right. The potion couldn't make me totally forget. Just for a while . . . like a patient with amnesia. And while my head might have forgotten, my heart never did."

"That's why I can always find you," he said tenderly. "Because our hearts always know."

"They do," she said, her eyes filled with love. There was another little matter she wished to discuss with him tonight, but it could wait.

"It's funny," David mused. "When I agreed to go on this vacation, I thought I was going to be bored to death . . . or driven crazy by Regina and her crazy antics. And while that last's true, sometimes, this vacation's been anything but boring, from the day I stepped off the plane."

"You can say that again!" Snow agreed. "But I've never had so much fun. I like being with our whole family. Don't you?"

Charming nodded. "I do. I've done things I've never thought I'd do, especially with Rumple."

"Like helping him with his hangover?"

"Yeah, but . . . I mean besides that. The guy's not quite the stiff I imagined him to be . . . and I actually enjoy being around him. And that's not something I ever thought I'd say. This vacation's done more than just given us an opportunity to see Manhattan. It's given us the opportunity to get closer with each other."

"I know what you mean. I've spent more time with Emma here than I've ever done before . . . and I love it. I also enjoy being with Belle. She's like the sister I never had, but always wanted. And I think Rumple's like your brother."

"You forget, I did have a brother . . . but I don't think I'd have gotten on half as well with James as I do with Rumple. I think I'd have smashed my twin's face in just on principle," David admitted. "And while I'll admit there have been times I've wanted to slug Rumple, there've been more times I've wanted to watch a football game with him or something. Not to mention Bae too."

"So you're happy that he's your son-in-law?"

"Yeah, I am. He's a good guy . . . and Emma loves him and he loves her. I'm glad she's happy now."

"So am I. She deserves to know the love we do," Snow said sincerely. "And I hope that Regina will too once she's old enough."

"Please, Snow! Let's just get through the terrible threes first!" Charming cried. "Never mind when she's old enough to date. I might just make her first boyfriend run a gauntlet before he can take her out . . . and get Rumple to help me."

"Oh, David! You're hilarious! And God help the poor guy . . . he might end up tied to a stake if you or Rumple have anything to say about it," Snow said, her dark eyes dancing. "I just hope our little troublemaker is behaving for her aunt and uncle."

"She probably is. If not, Rumple knows how to make her mind," Charming said. "I trust him to discipline her without breaking her spirit. And that's another thing I'd never thought I'd do . . . trust the former Dark One with my baby girl. But I know nothing will happen to her with him."

"Yes. He'd die before he'd let anything harm her," Snow said. "Belle too."

"Like I said, sweetheart, God help the guy who wants to date my daughter," Charming said. "Or Rumple's either. They may just end up as voodoo dolls in Gold's shop window."

"David, you're terrible!"

"Just saying," he returned, and then drank some more Dom Perignon.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

Their dinners arrived, Charming had the famous Delmonico steak, a boneless rib eye prepared with a secret marinade and spices and cooked to juicy perfection. It was served with new potatoes and asparagus. Snow had the equally famous Lobster Newberg and a side of garlic mashed potatoes.

At the first bite, David swore he'd died and gone to paradise. Nothing he'd ever eaten had ever tasted so damn good! If he didn't know better, he'd have said the food was enchanted, because everything tasted incredible.

Snow was equally enraptured with her Lobster Newberg, it was so good, she said, she could have eaten the plate. "My God! I'm almost too full to have dessert," she groaned and pushed her plate away.

"I know, but I really want to try the Baked Alaska here. I've heard it's out of this world," Charming said. "This steak sure was." Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out the white box. "Here, darling. This is because you've always been so sweet to me . . . even when I didn't deserve it."

Snow took the slender white box and opened it. Inside were several white sugary spun snowflakes. "Oh, Charming! These are so amazing!"

"They're candied snowflakes made from spun sugar with dark chocolate centers," David said. "I made them specially for you at FAO Scweetz. I'm glad you like them."

"I love them!" Snow said. "They're almost too pretty to eat."

"Please, eat one. They're made to eat, not to stick on a shelf," David urged her.

Snow picked one up and nibbled on it. "Mmm! They melt in my mouth . . . just like the real thing!"

David leaned over and kissed her then, one quick kiss that nevertheless conveyed all the love within him. "You're right, Snow."

"Now order that Baked Alaska thing," his wife said. "I want to see what it's like."

So David did, and Snow also ordered a coffee. When the dessert arrived, Snow decided it was time to broach the other matter she had been considering.

"David . . . I've been thinking," she began.

"Should I be worried?" he asked mischievously, licking whipped cream from his fork.

"Terrified, mister," she poked him playfully with her foot under the table. "Because I've been thinking about having another baby."

He almost choked on his coffee. "What? But Snow, we have Regina to raise."

"I know, but don't you want another little one? Maybe a boy this time to carry on the family name?" Snow asked.

"Well, sure, but . . . not right now. I think Regina needs to be a little older. Like maybe four."

"Okay. So we'll wait a bit. But I do want to have more kids, Charming. I missed out on everything with Emma and some things as well with Regina, and I want to have a baby I can watch take their first steps and cut their first tooth and all that."

"I know what you mean," David said. "But right now, love, I think I've got all I can handle with Regina."

"She can really give you a run for your money, eh?" Snow snickered.

"She always did, even before she was deaged," Charming remarked. "I can't expect her to be that much different as a baby."

"But with love and kindness and firm discipline, she'll turn out to be much better than she did the first time around," Snow said. Then she ate another candied snowflake.

After they had paid with Gold's Black Amex, David decided to go for a walk with his wife before calling for the limo.

They strolled arm in arm down the street, enjoying the cloudless night with the moon a glimmering white lantern up above, and the city providing an interesting backdrop as they walked. They paused to look in all the shop windows and admire the crowds of posh people walking.

Snow's arm was warm in his, and David found himself longing for a quiet room where he could show his wife how much he adored her. Perhaps someday they'd spend the morning in bed while the rest of the family went to breakfast and he'd use their time alone wisely, he thought with a wicked grin.

Then he paused on the sidewalk and took Snow in his arms and kissed her senseless. Because all good princes should know how to kiss a girl breathless.

Snow melted into his embrace, kissing him back with a fire hotter than a summer bonfire. No man save David had ever made her feel so cherished, so loved, so passionate . . . and it made not one bit of difference that he had started life as a shepherd in a peasant's cottage rather than a palace. He was the love she had been searching for all her life, both as a princess and as a cursed schoolteacher, and now that they had found each other again, she would never let him go.

**Page~*~*~*~*~*~Break**

"Shh! Charming, we've got to be quiet!" Snow hissed as they opened the door to the suite. She kicked off her heels and clung to her husband's arm, giggling softly, feeling like a schoolgirl sneaking back into her house after a forbidden evening with her boyfriend. She knew it was ridiculous, but somehow it felt that way.

David shut the door behind them and whispered, "I'm trying, love." Then he grabbed her in his arms and kissed her again. They half-fell against the door, trying their best to smother their laughter.

"You're not trying very hard, are you, dearie?" Rumple queried from the couch where he'd been sleeping.

"Jesus Christ, Rumple!" David cried. "You almost made me jump out of my shoes!"

"You mean _my_ shoes," the sorcerer smirked. "Or are you planning on keeping them?"

"No . . . but they are very comfortable," the prince chuckled.

"Gucci usually is," the former spinner said.

"Oh, Rumple! You scared me," Snow gasped, then she snickered. "For a minute there . . . I almost thought you were my father."

"Guilty conscience, dearie?" Rumple laughed.

"No, it's just . . . never mind," Snow smirked. "What are you doing on the couch? You and Belle have a fight?"

"No . . . we're camping out here because Regina fell asleep on me while watching the Lion King 2 and so did Belle and I." He indicated the still sleeping forms of his niece and his wife.

"We're sorry we woke you," Charming said apologetically.

"I'm a light sleeper, dearie, always have been. Did you have a good time?"

"Yeah, it was great . . . and thanks for the champagne," Snow grinned. "We loved it!"

"I can tell," Rumple said, amused.

"Well, g'night, Rumple, old pal," Charming yawned. Then he took Snow's arm and they walked into their bedroom, still giggling like a couple of teenagers, pausing on the threshold to kiss each other.

As they did so, Rumple slyly picked up his phone and took a picture. _Snow and Charming, Goodnight Kiss._ His eyes glinting mischievously, the sorcerer tucked his cell inside his pocket and closed his eyes.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

The next morning, everyone was up bright and early, and wearing their hats, Hard Rock Café T-shirts, and jeans with sneakers. Even Rumple, who had put his cufflinks in his pocket just in case, was dressed casually this time. Once they had all eaten breakfast in the hotel dining room, they hopped on the subway again and headed for the Empire State Building.

Regina was like a whirlwind this morning, bouncing off the walls, and seemingly unable to sit still for more than a few minutes at a time. She ran beneath the turnstyle at the subway station and Snow had to yell at her to wait as she came through it. David had to scold her twice for standing up on the seat beside him on the subway and Rumple had to snatch her up before she ran down the aisle as the car coasted to a stop and the doors opened. "Regina Nolan, you quit jumping all over like a jack-in-the-box and settle down, you hear me?" he ordered softly, accompanying the words with a Look. "Because if you run off and get lost here in midtown Manhattan, when I find you again, I'll take you across my knee right in front of all these people and spank you good."

"And so will I," David added. "So you better behave, young lady."

The little girl looked a bit sulky, but after that threat from both her father and uncle, stayed put, though she twitched her feet a little while holding onto the pole and David's hand.

Once they were off the subway, they had to walk a bit before they came to the famous landmark, and Regina grabbed Henry and Alina's hands and skipped with them down the sidewalk, singing, "We're off to see the wizard! The wonderful wizard of Oz!"

Laughing, the other two joined her in singing the familiar tune, creating a sweet amusing picture that Rumple took of them on his phone as they walked along. _The Wizard Children of Oz._

But Regina's boundless energy wouldn't let her skip along sedately for more than five minutes, and she pulled free of the children's hands and raced back to where Gold was walking with Belle and grabbed his hand and yelled, "I see him! I see him! He's right here!"

"Hush, dearie," Rumple said, smiling down at the little imp. Ah, the joys of having a precocious and energetic child! "What was in that medicine you gave her, Belle?" he whispered softly to his wife. "It's like she drank ten cups of coffee."

"Nothing, Rumple!" his wife protested, smiling over at Regina, who was half-dragging the pawnbroker along.

"Take it easy, dearie. You want to pull my hand off?"

"Yup. And then you can put it back on!" Regina said. Abruptly deciding the pace was too slow, she released him and ran over to where Emma and Bae were walking and took their hands.

Just then they passed a storefront where they were playing loud music and showing some reruns of South Park on their big screen TV's. Suddenly the TV started screaming, "Kyle's mom is a big fat b*#!%, she's the biggest b*#!% in the whole wide world . . ."

Snow gasped as they went by. "What kind of song is that?"

"One that I don't want Regina hearing," Charming groaned. He glanced back to see where she was, and saw that Bae had picked her up and had his hands over her ears.

"Bae! Put me down!" Regina squirmed, wriggling like an eel on a hook. "I wanna walk!"

"Okay, minx, but you don't need to hear that song," he said, still holding her.

"Why?"

"Because it has a lot of bad words in it and you're not going to repeat them," he warned her.

"Or else I'll make you eat soap," Emma added.

"There ain't no soap here," the little scamp declared.

"I'll have Uncle Rumple conjure some up just for you," her sister said.

"Yeah, and he can conjure up soap like this," Bae informed her and snapped his fingers.

"How do you know that?" Regina asked.

"Cause when I was fourteen, I thought it would be okay to swear around him once, and I called someone a little F-bag and next thing I knew I was eating soap flakes. So don't do it, Regina," Bae warned.

Emma slanted a glance at him. "You really were a troublemaker, weren't you? Cussing out your father—"

Bae rolled his eyes. "Hold it! I _never_ said I cussed him out, you think I'm dumb? I called an idiot who was shooting off his fat mouth at him that word and he was right there when I did it. I'll bet you weren't any angel either, Mrs. Gold. How many times did you get your mouth washed out?"

"Not telling," she smirked.

"Uh huh," he said smugly.

Regina wriggled in his arms again. "Bae! I wanna get down."

"Not here, kid. There's too many people," Bae said, continuing to hold her as they walked through the crowd that had suddenly sprang up, separating them from the rest of their family.

Regina squirmed again, whining, "I want to get _down_!" Her little foot poked Bae in the ribs.

"Stop it!" he ordered. "I told you, you can't get down now. You want to get lost?"

"I wanna go by Mommy!" Regina insisted, trying to get free. "Lemme down, Baelfire!" Her foot lashed out and she kicked him in the ribs.

"Oww!" he hissed, his eyes darkening. "You little brat! You just _kicked_ me." Without really thinking about it, he gave her a firm spank on the bottom. "Now knock it off!"

Regina started to cry. "Oww! You spanked me! You're mean, Bae!"

He sighed. "You kicked me, so you deserved it." Then he tucked her under his arm, ignoring her sobs.

"Emma!" Regina bawled. "Bae's being mean to me!"

Emma frowned at her. "You're not getting any sympathy from me, kid. You were being mean to him when you kicked him. Now say you're sorry."

Regina shook her head stubbornly. Then she commenced bawling _._

Bae just gritted his teeth. "Someone's behaving like a naughty little brat," he said. "And if that somebody doesn't quit it, she's gonna go to bed early once we get back to the hotel. That what you want, miss?"

"No-o-o! No-o, Bae!"

"Then quit screaming like I skinned you. Okay?"

"Little drama queen," Emma muttered.

"I sorry!" Regina sniffled, gulping air like a drowning person.

Bae tucked her against his hip, making sure she couldn't get down, and he and Emma forged through the crowd and finally made it out and over to where the rest of the family was waiting, bunched together on the sidewalk.

"Is everyone here?" Snow called, counting heads. Then she caught sight of Regina's tear streaked face and said, "What's the matter, honey?"

Regina held out her arms to her, and Bae handed the little imp over. "Mommy, Bae spanked me."

"You did?" Snow stared at her son-in-law. "Why?"

"She kicked me and tried to get down when I told her she needed to let me carry her because there were too many people," Bae defended. "So I gave her a swat. That was all, Snow."

"You kicked Bae, young lady?" Snow frowned.

Regina buried her face in Snow's shoulder. "Uh huh."

"That's very naughty. You don't kick anyone in this family. I'm very disappointed in you," she scolded. "Now tell Bae you're sorry."

"She already did that," he said.

"Regina," Snow prompted.

"Sorry," she hiccupped.

"Okay. I forgive you," he said.

"Mommy, I wanna walk," Regina said then, after Snow had wiped her face with a tissue.

"All right, but you hold onto my hand," her mother agreed. Then she let her daughter down and Regina actually walked quietly next to her. Snow shook her head. Sometimes she didn't know what possessed the little girl. One minute she was being a royal brat and the next she was sweet as pie. It baffled her.

David glanced at his wife and small daughter and said softly out of the corner of his mouth, "Maybe we ought to have her take a nap when we get back to the room."

Snow nodded. Perhaps all the excitement was too much for the child.

They reached the Empire State Building and went on the line for people who had already purchased tickets, which was much shorter than the one for those who still had to get some.

Henry gazed up at the huge building, some 1500 feet tall, and said, "Are we gonna take the stairs or the elevator?"

"I'd take the elevator up and the stairs down," Alina said. "It sure is huge."

"I heard if you spit off the top of it, you could kill somebody," Henry remarked. "It said so on Google."

"That's gross," Alina made a face. "I can't believe we're gonna be inside the building that was in _Sleepless in Seattle_."

"And _An Affair to Remember_ with Debra Kerr and Cary Grant," Belle said. "That's one of Alice's favorite movies. She made me watch it two times before we left."

"I wonder what color the Empire State Building is at night?" Alina mused. "It changes colors, you know."

"Red, white, and blue, probably, for Fourth of July," her nephew speculated. He peered up the side of the building. "I almost feel like we should see King Kong."

Rumple took out his phone and took several shots of the building with Henry, Alina, and Belle standing in front of it.

Finally, they were inside and staring around at the lobby, which had been restored to its former 1930's glory, with its glittering chandelier and marble tiles and the gift shop. There were lines for the elevator and more lines of people wending their way up the stairs, trying to get to the famous Observatories on the 86th and 102nd floor.

"What's faster?" Henry wondered. "I bet I could race you to the top, Dad."

"In your dreams, tiger," his father snorted. "You know how many stairs there are in here?"

"Um . . . no, but I can Google it on your phone," Henry replied.

"I think we should all stick together going up," Emma said. "You can race your dad and me going down, Henry."

"Okay. Alina, let's pick an elevator," he said.

They got on line to go up the elevator on the west side, and after five minutes the whole family got on and was riding up to the 8oth floor, which had an exhibit that chronicled the history of the building and had over 3,500 photos of the construction and people who built it.

After taking about half an hour to see the exhibit, the Golds got back on the elevator and went up to the 86th floor where the observatory was.

Belle looked about uneasily, and clutched Rumple's arm. "I hope this elevator doesn't get stuck or something," she murmured worriedly. She had her claustrophobia under tight control thanks to sessions with Archie, but the elevator was testing her control a bit.

"I'm sure it's fine, dearie," Rumple said soothingly, patting her arm. "Why don't you do some of your calming breathing?"

"Okay," Belle said, and started to do her exercises. She kept her hand on Rumple's arm as she did so, concentrating on slowing her breathing and relaxing while looking at her husband's hands, which were so elegant and could excite her with the merest brush of skin on skin, conjure wonders with the simplest gesture, and hold her with infinite tenderness. She pressed against him while breathing in and out, and he placed his arm around her, lending her his strength and soothing the old terror back to sleep.

She knew that many saw her as the source of Rumple's strength, but what they didn't realize was that he was her strength as well, that during the months following her episode in the pantry, he had been her rock, always there when she needed a shoulder to cry on or someone to hold her in the dark of the night. And when she had first tried to walk into her own pantry and become too terrified to move, he had come and talked her through the suffocating fear, not by telling her to be brave, but by whispering that she wasn't alone. _I'm here for you, Belle. Right here, and I will never leave you. Whenever you need me, just call me and I'll be here._

His mere presence had helped her banish the fear to a secret place within her, a place only she and he knew, and as she leaned against him now, she used his closeness as a brand to light her way through the suffocating darkness in her memory. She had even developed a kind of mantra that she recited now as she went through her exercises. _Shining Gold, oh so bright, lights my way through darkest night. Shadows flee, for he is with me, always there, with him I shall not know despair._

She had just succeeded in calming her racing heart and relaxing somewhat against Rumple when the elevator shuddered and stopped. Belle opened her eyes and asked softly, "Are we there?"

"I don't think so, dearie. The doors haven't opened," Rumple replied, frowning. This was strange. Whenever the elevator had stopped before, the doors had opened.

"But the elevator's stopped, Papa," Alina remarked.

Henry looked up at the panel where the floors were displayed and said, "There's no floor lit up."

"What do you mean?" asked Charming.

"On the little screen there. Usually when we're stopped on a floor, there's a number. But this time there isn't," Henry murmured.

"Uh oh. That doesn't sound good," Snow said, hugging Regina.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Emma groaned.

"Don't say it, babe," Bae squeezed her shoulder. "You might jinx us."

"Mommy, when can we get off?" Regina asked.

"In a little bit, sweetie. We just have to wait until the doors open," Snow told her, trying to sound cheerful despite her uneasiness.

"When's that going to be?" Belle wondered nervously. Her hand suddenly clenched onto Rumple's arm.

He automatically rubbed her shoulder with his hand, whispering, "Easy, love. I'm sure this is a temporary thing. It just got stuck."

"Stuck?" Belle whimpered, feeling her heart speed up.

"I'm sure it'll get fixed soon," Bae said calmly, knowing of his stepmother's claustrophobia and trying to alleviate it by remaining cool and collected.

Charming leaned against the wall and said, "In the meantime we can relax and uh . . . enjoy the view."

"What view?" Snow asked.

"The view we're going to see," he replied. "We'll be up higher than the birds, Snow. In something that doesn't move like a plane."

Minutes passed and still the elevator remained still and the doors did not open.

"Maybe we need to push the red button," Henry suggested, pointing to the red emergency button on the panel.

"I'm sure they know the elevator's stuck," sighed Emma.

Belle shut her eyes, and started breathing slowly, reciting her mantra over and over while her fingers dug into her husband's arm.

Rumple flinched slightly, but otherwise said nothing of the pain he was enduring, for he knew Belle was fighting the terror within her with everything she had, and he kept rubbing his fingers up and down her back, trying wordlessly to soother her. "It'll be okay, dearie."

Belle breathed in and out, counting silently in her head. _Shining Gold, oh so bright . . . please let me get through this . . . lights my way through darkest night . . . one, two, three, four . . ._

Alina was tired of standing, so she went and sat on the floor after ten minutes. "Maybe we should call 911 or something."

"Push the red button," Henry said again.

"Okay," Emma agreed, then she did so.

Nothing happened.

Snow groaned.

Regina tugged on her sleeve. "Mommy . . . I gotta go potty."

"Aww, no!" David sighed. "Regina, can you hold it?"

"David, she's three," Snow reminded him. "Baby, hang on. We're gonna get off soon."

Regina whimpered, crossing her legs. "Mommy . . . I gotta go!"

Charming looked at Rumplestiltskin. "Rumple, buddy, any chance you can magic us out of here?"

Rumple huffed softly. "There's a problem with that, dearie. My transport spell can only transport me and one other person at a time. I could take Regina with me . . . if I knew where I was going. But I can't transport myself blind, David. I need to see my destination . . . otherwise I could end up in a wall or trapped in a floor. Not a nice way to die. It's too risky."

"Great! Just great!" Emma moaned. She could see it now. They were going to be stuck in the elevator with a toddler who wet herself and a pregnant woman having a nervous breakdown. Definitely not on her top ten moments to remember.

"Okay, I'm calling 911," David declared, and pulled out his phone and dialed. A few seconds passed and he swore softly. "Dammit! My cell service isn't working."

"Let me try mine," Bae said.

"Me too," said Snow.

But all their phones said the same thing— _unable to connect_.

Belle sucked in a breath. Then another. _Shadows flee, for he is with me . . . oh, God, don't let me lose it . . . please . . . keep it together, Belle, you can do it . . ._

"Don't think about being in here," Gold said evenly. "Think about being outside, where the sun is shining, and you can breathe the fresh air."

"Mommy . . .!" Regina wailed frantically.

"Baby, try not to think about it," Snow said, feeling utterly wretched and unable to help her poor child.

"We have to do something," Alina said, standing up.

"If you've got a bright idea, Alina, now's the time to share it," Gold said, a little snippily.

"Papa, do you still have your communication crystal from Aunt Rhea?" his daughter asked.

"Yes . . . but not here. I have it in my suitcase," Rumple sighed.

"I can get it, Grandpa!" Henry said, and then he concentrated hard.

Suddenly, the oblong crystal pendant appeared in his hands. "Here!" he shoved it at Gold. "Now you can call Aunt Rhea for help."

"How can that possibly help us, Henry?" Gold wanted to know. "She isn't even in this world."

"She's a Seer," Henry reminded.

"And she can See for you, Papa!" Alina cried, catching on to what Henry was getting at. "Not the future, but the present. She can See your destination for you so you can transport out of here with Regina."

"It's worth a shot, Papa," Bae persuaded. "Otherwise we're going to have a hell of a mess in here in about five minutes," he said, glancing at poor Regina.

"Okay, I'll try and contact her," Rumple agreed, taking the pendant and placing it about his neck. He touched it and called silently, _Rhea? Rhea, can you hear me? It's Rumple._

He felt the crystal warm beneath his fingers and then it began to glow with a striking blue light. Abruptly, he was seeing the deck of a ship, and not the four walls of the elevator he was trapped in. _Rhea? Can you hear me?_

 _Rumple? Where are you?_ Rhea's voice came to him, clear as if she were standing right next to him.

 _Rhea, I'm trapped in an elevator in the Empire State Building in Manhattan and I need to get out of here,_ Rumple thought. _Do you see what I'm talking about?_

He felt an odd sort of disorientation for a moment, as his sister Looked through his eyes for a brief instant.

_Yes, Rumple. I can See you._

_Can you See a place where I can transport to? I need to take my little niece to a bathroom before she . . . uh . . .has an accident. You know . . . Regina . . ._

_Gods, yes! Wait a moment, while I take a look around, Rumple._

The crystal flickered and Charming asked, "Did you get through to her?"

"Yes. She's Looking for a place," Rumple said.

A few moments later, he felt the crystal warm again. _Rumple, here's where you need to go . . . Look through my eyes, old dragon . . ._

An instant later, he saw a large lobby with several people hurrying to and fro, and then he saw a small alcove with a sign on it that read Family Restroom. _I see it! Thanks so much, Rhea!_

_Anytime, big brother! You need anything else, call me. Talk to you later._

Gold released the crystal and said, "Okay, I've got it. Belle, hang on. I'll be back for you, promise." He pulled out his cufflinks and clicked them together.

"Don't worry about me, Rumple. Take Regina," his wife said, releasing his arm.

Charming went and grabbed up Regina and handed her to Rumple. "Regina, Uncle Rumple's gonna take you potty, okay?"

Rumple wrapped his arms about the child and concentrated hard, vanishing an instant later in a puff of purple smoke.

He reappeared outside the restroom and shoved the door open.

"Okay, sweetie, we're here," he said, darting inside.

"Unca Rumple!" Regina sobbed. "I gotta go bad!"

"I know," he muttered. "Okay." He gestured, removing her jeans and underwear. "Hold on, don't pee on me," he said, and put her on the toilet.

Just in time, he thought in relief, and turned his back to give her some privacy.

"I'm all done!" she announced a few moments later.

"Okay, let's get you dressed," he said, and flicked his wrist and her jeans and underwear were put back on.

After washing her hands, he knelt down next to her and said, "Regina, I need you to stay here while I go and get Auntie Belle out of the elevator. I'm going to lock the door and you just wait in here till I get back, okay?"

"You want me to stay here . . . all alone?" she asked, looking alarmed.

"It's just for a bit, sweetie. I can't take you with me, the magic won't let me and I need to get Auntie Belle," he patted her back and hugged her. "Now, can you be my brave girl and wait here?"

Her arms twined about his neck. "'Kay, Unca Rumple. Don't be long."

"I won't," he kissed her forehead and then he locked the door and transported away.

He reappeared back inside the elevator. Everything was unchanged.

"Rumple . . . how's Regina?" Charming queried.

"She's okay. I left her locked inside the restroom," he replied. "Belle, let's go." He embraced his wife, clicked his cufflinks, and teleported away again, reappearing back inside the restroom.

"Auntie Belle!" Regina cried, running to her.

"Hi, sweetie!" Belle said, picking her up. "Rumple, go and get the others, if you can."

"I can, dearie," he assured her.

It took him several more trips, but eventually all of the family was transported out of the elevator and into the restroom.

After he'd come back with David, who insisted on being the last one off, Rumple sagged against the wall for a moment, feeling a sudden exhaustion.

"Hey, you all right?" asked David.

"Yes. I just need a minute. I haven't done that many transport spells in awhile," Gold said.

"Rumple, do you need anything? Food? Something to drink?" asked Belle, concerned.

He closed his eyes and did a few breathing exercises.

Not liking how pale his grandfather had become, Henry whispered something to Alina and Emma.

Suddenly, the three apprentices linked hands, and then Emma reached out a hand to Rumple, and Alina did the same on the other side.

"What . . . are you doing?" Rumple asked wearily.

"Helping you, Papa," Alina said, then she concentrated, as did her fellow students, and suddenly they all began to glow with green light, as Emma used her talent of enhancement to strengthen Alina's healing spell and Henry gave her some of his magic also. Green magic flowed into Rumple as his apprentices gave him some of their own Power, which acted like a Restorative Cordial, relieving the exhaustion he was feeling.

Rumple lifted his head. "You didn't have to do that."

"Yeah, we did," Emma said. "You saved our asses, now we do the same to you. Family helps family."

"Thanks," Gold said, and gave her a smile.

"Don't mention it," Emma said. "Okay, now let's see what this observation deck is all about, shall we?"

They all filed out of the bathroom.

Most of the people were too busy looking out of the round observation deck to pay attention, but a teenage girl and her friends were staring as all the Golds walked out and one said, "Tricia, what the _hell_ is going on in that bathroom? There's like ten people in there!"

Her friend shrugged. "Maybe they all had to go at once?"

"All _together_? Girl, that is one screwed up family!"

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

"Wow! We can see the whole world from up here!" cried Henry as he peered over the top of the railing at the skyline of Manhattan.

"Look at the people! They look like ants!" Alina said, pointing.

"It's like seeing a city in miniature," Snow said.

"Like one of those scale models," said Bae.

"Or like we were giants," Charming said.

"It's breathtaking," Belle remarked, hugging Rumple.

"You can say that again, dearie," he smiled at her.

Emma and Regina gazed out at the spectacular view and Emma looked at her little sister and said, "What do you think, Regina?"

"It's like wicked cool, Emma!" the little girl said. "Look, a bird!"

"Yeah, that's a pigeon," her sister said. A second later she cried, "Aww . . . crap!"

"Eeww! Emma . . . that birdie pooped on you!" Regina cried.

"Figures," her sister grumbled, fumbling in her purse for some tissues to wipe off her forehead. "Birds are our friends, my ass!"

"Ooo, you said a bad word! I'm telling Mommy!"

"Shush, kid! Before I tell you the tale of a fateful trip," Emma warned.

Just then she heard the familiar click of a cell phone camera.

"Bae! I'm gonna kill you!" she shook a fist at her husband, who was smirking.

"But you looked so cute, hon. Like some nature goddess!"

"Nature goddess! That's it, buster! You're sleeping on the couch!" Emma snapped.

"Why?" asked Regina innocently. "Does he steal your pillow, Emma?"

"Yeah . . . and my blankets," her sister said, then she cracked up.

"You're such a liar," Bae protested. "At least I don't beat people up in my sleep."

"You drool though."

"I do not!"

"Guys, you'd better knock it off!" Regina ordered. "Or else I'm telling!"

"Who you gonna tell, imp?" Bae asked, snickering.

"I is telling Unca Rumple," she declared, crossing her arms over her chest. "And he'll make you stand in the corner and go to bed early."

"Oh, boy, Emma. Guess we better behave," Bae said, his lips twitching.

"Yeah, you better."

Emma looked at her husband and started laughing. "What for? Going to bed early sounds good to me."

Regina gaped at her. "You is crazy!"

Emma just laughed harder. "Never mind, squirt."


	15. Heart to Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma has a talk with Regina about their mom when the toddler acts up in a restaraunt, and then she and Bae go out for a night on the town-and return home drunk and find their fathers waiting for them!

At the gift shop, Snow purchased a paperweight for her desk at school, it was a glass globe with the Empire State Building in it. She said it would go nicely next to the ceramic apple one Regina had gotten her for her birthday, which David had told her the child had picked out herself, it was a Golden Delicious apple.

They were selling drinks and snacks in the lobby, and Henry got a Coke in a souvenir cup with the Empire State Building on it, and Alina and Regina shared a large New York pretzel with honey mustard sauce. Henry and Emma shared a cinnamon raisin one, Bae and Rumple shared a butter sesame one, and Snow and Belle had a toffee chip pretzel. Just to be different, David had a pretzel dog with mustard.

Afterwards, they walked around a bit, and then went to eat some lunch at a local Chinese place. The food was excellent, though after eating most of a large pretzel Regina wasn't very hungry, and played with her pork lo mein, picking it up and flinging it on Henry's plate and yelling, "Here, Henry! Eat some worms!"

"Regina, shh!" he whispered to her. "Not so loud, and you eat that. I've got my sesame chicken."

"Aww, but dontcha want some worms?" she pouted.

"Not right now," he said.

She turned to Rumple, who was sitting on her left, eating his butterfly shrimp with bacon and fried rice. "Unca Rumple! Try some of my wriggly worms."

Rumple held up his hand. "No, dearie. I'm fine."

Sulking, because neither of her seatmates would play with her, the toddler came up with the brilliant idea to catapult her lo mein across the table at David. "Hey, Daddy! Eat some fried worms!" she called, and put some of her noodles on her spoon and shot it over to her father.

David was in the middle of taking a bite of his steamed dim sum when lo mein hit him in the mouth.

"What the hell?" he cried, wiping noodles off his face.

Regina cracked up, laughing hysterically. "Funny, Daddy!"

Henry started snickering into his napkin, but quickly stopped when Bae gave him a Look from across the table.

"Young lady, you quit throwing food!" David said sternly. "That is _not_ funny."

Regina pouted. "O- _kay_ ," she muttered. Bored, she pushed around her lo mein on her plate.

Rumple looked at her and said, "Better eat that, imp. Or else no ice cream."

"Uh huh!" she huffed. "I is _too_ gettin' ice cream!" she told him imperiously.

"Not unless you eat four bites of that," Rumple said, and he pointed to her plate.

"Three. I makes you a deal!"

Snow, Bae, and Alina started laughing then.

Rumple shook his head. "No deals, dearie. Eat your food."

He turned around to ask Belle if she wanted more iced tea, she was eating wonton soup and an egg roll, and just as he did so— _splat!_ Something hit him on the ear.

"Regina!" Belle scolded.

Just as the lo mein on Rumple's head fell onto his lap.

"Oops!" Regina sang, her face alight with the devil's own smirk.

Rumple turned around, wiping off his hair and lap with a napkin, and scowling at the impudent minx. "You're done, Miss Nolan. No ice cream for you."

Regina started sniffling. "No! I want ice cream!"

"Too bad. Little girls who misbehave and don't eat their lunch don't get any," he said sternly.

"Mommy, I can have some right?" she turned to look at Snow, who was frowning at her daughter over her chicken and broccoli.

"No. You didn't listen to Daddy or Uncle Rumple, so now you don't get dessert."

The little girl's face crumpled. Huge tears formed in her eyes and she started crying. "Please, Mommy! I want some ice cream! Please!"

"Sorry," Snow said. "You were told not to throw your food and you did it anyway, so now you suffer the consequences."

"It's no fair! You're mean! You're not my mommy anymore!"

Snow, who had heard that before whenever Regina didn't get her way, just shrugged it off.

But the child's comment angered Emma, who said softly, "Don't you say that, young lady!"

"Emma, she's just being a pill," Snow began. "She doesn't mean it like you think."

"I don't care. She shouldn't ever say that to you," Emma snapped. She rose to her feet and came around the table. "Come here, Regina. I think you and I need to have a little talk." She picked up the crying toddler and began to walk away.

"Emma, what are you doing?" Snow asked, half-rising to go after her.

David gently caught her arm. "Snow, leave her be. Let her work this out with her sister."

"David, she's overreacting," Snow began.

"No, dearie. She's not," Rumple disagreed. Personally, he would have given the toddler a swat for saying such a thing, considering it the height of disrespect, as bad as swearing at your parent.

"Uh oh," Henry murmured to Alina. "Now Regina's in for it. Mom was wearing her interrogation face."

"What's that?" Alina asked.

"It's what she wears when she's going to make a suspect spill their guts," Henry replied.

Alina winced. "Oh, well. You know, she did ask for it."

"I know, but . . . I still feel kind of sorry for her," Henry sighed.

"But next time she'll know better," his best friend said. "You just don't say that to your mama. If I'd ever done that . . . Papa would've spanked me good."

" _I_ said that once. To the old Regina," Henry admitted.

"What'd she do?" Alina wanted to know.

"She took away my fairy tale book. I'd have rather been spanked," he replied.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

Emma took Regina into the lobby beside the large fish tank where white and orange koi swam about amid a lot of sea plants and a rocky shelf, the tank was almost as long as the wall where you waited to get seated. She sat down in a chair beside the tank and put the still sniveling toddler in her lap.

"Hey. Quit it with those crocodile tears and listen to me," she ordered in a no-nonsense tone. This was the first time she'd ever really disciplined the child, usually she left that kind of thing to her parents. But this time was different.

"Emma, I w-want ice cream!" Regina hiccupped.

"Never mind that. You don't deserve ice cream after what you said to Mom. Matter of fact, what you deserve is a good swat for saying that to her."

"She's mean!"

Emma shook her head. "No, she's not. _You_ are for saying something like that. Mean and nasty. And acting like a spoiled selfish little brat."

"I'm not a brat, Emma," Regina protested.

"If you say stuff like that, oh yes you are. Because only spoiled brats ever tell their moms they don't want them. When I was your age, I'd have killed to have a mom like that. One who hugged me and tucked me in at night and was there to fix up my scrapes when I fell or told me she was proud of me and read me stories. You know that?" Emma said, her voice suddenly gone slightly hoarse as the old pain surfaced.

Regina stared at her, her dark eyes wide. "Why didn't she?"

"Because I got lost . . . and I grew up without her," Emma said honestly. Then she said, "But that's beside the point. She's here for you, Regina . . . and what you said to her today really hurt her. She loves you a lot. She's done things for you that you don't even realize, and you should never say such a thing. Not ever! You're lucky to have a mom like her, Regina Nolan. And a dad too. And an uncle like Rumple. _Lucky_. A lot of kids don't ever have that."

"They don't?"

"Nope. Some kids don't ever have any of that," Emma said quietly. _Like me._ "They don't have any family at all. And they go to bed every night and dream of what you've got . . . and they wish for a nice family like you have . . . but most times they never get one."

"How come?"

"Because . . . their parents died . . . or left . . . or something . . . but _you've_ got a great family, kid. And you need to start appreciating that. And quit acting like a selfish little snot. Unless you _want_ to be in trouble all the time and have everybody mad at you and hurt Mommy's feelings?" Emma said sharply.

Regina shook her head. She didn't like having Mommy and Daddy mad at her, or Uncle Rumple, or Emma either. She recalled that even Henry and Alina had given her looks of disappointment as Emma was carrying her away, and she didn't like it at all. She gazed up at her sister, her little mouth trembling. "You mad at me, Emma?"

"Yeah, I am," her sister said honestly.

"M'sorry," the little scamp sniffled.

"I'm not the one you need to say sorry to," Emma told her. "Mommy is. And you also should say sorry to Uncle Rumple, for throwing food on him. Dad too. That was _not_ nice. Only rude nasty brats do that."

"I'm not a nasty brat! I'm not!"

"No? Then stop acting like one."

"Okay, Emma."

"You promise?"

"Uh huh."

"Because you ever say something like that to Mom again, and you'll be in serious trouble, kid. With _me_."

"Like when Unca Rumple says that?" she clarified.

"Yup. Just like that," Emma nodded.

Regina shook her head. "No. I'll be good. Promise."

"You'd better be, kid. Otherwise, you're going to be very sorry. Got me?"

"Yes. M'sorry I was bad."

"I know. Just remember what I said, okay?"

The little girl nodded. She was no longer angry with her mother. Instead she felt upset and guilty.

Emma wasn't sure how much of what she'd said actually got through to the child, but she hoped that some of it had. "Okay, chatterbox. Let's go back inside and you can tell Mom, Dad, and Uncle Rumple you're sorry."

"Okay, Emma. Then can I have ice cream?" she wheedled.

"Kid, what did Mom say?"

"No."

"Then it's no," Emma reiterated. "Now don't sulk. Your face will freeze that way. Next time behave and you won't have to worry about not getting any ice cream."

The three-year-old stuck out her lower lip in a rather adorable pout. She didn't like what Emma had said, but realized that was what happened to naughty children who said they didn't want their mothers. "I love Mommy, Emma. I don't want her to go away."

"Good. Then let's go back and you tell her so," Emma said. Maybe she had done the right thing after all, and she wasn't half-bad at this parenting stuff.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

After they had returned and Regina had given heartfelt apologies to Snow, David, and Rumple, she actually sat and ate some of her lunch, which Rumple reheated with a quick spell. By then most of the rest of the family was finished, and a few of them got some chocolate or green tea or coconut ice cream.

An unhappy Regina watched, but didn't ask for any, knowing she wasn't allowed. She didn't like it, but she did understand, at least as far as a three-year-old could, why.

Henry looked over at her and whispered, "Hey, if you're good, maybe tomorrow you can have some ice cream."

Regina nodded eagerly. She decided she would try very hard to be good, so she wouldn't be in serious trouble with Emma and Snow wouldn't go away like all those other kids mommies that Emma had told her about.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

After they'd arrived back at the suite, Snow put Regina down for a nap, then she and David played a trivia game with Henry on his tablet while Rumple took a nap as well, and Alina and Belle played Words With Friends with Bae and Emma took a shower, getting ready for her date night with Baelfire, as it was their turn to go out that night.

They had reservations at The Palm for two and later decided to go to Aria nightclub on the subway, since Emma said it had been a long time since she'd gone clubbing anywhere, the last time had been in Phoenix, over ten years ago, when they'd been starry-eyed kids with heads full of dreams and hearts full of love.

When they arrived at The Palm, with Emma in a sweet crimson strapless number by Chanel, elegant, classy, but it showed off her figure in ways that made her husband long to rip off her clothes and forget the dinner . . . almost, and Bae in a smart classic black Saville Row tux with a matching Ferragamo tie (borrowed from Rumple), looking sweet enough to eat with a spoon, as Emma said, they found their table ready and waiting for them.

The Palm was a very fancy place, with red velvet drapes, a lovely view of the Hudson, and a class A cuisine, though it had food that you still could pronounce on the menu, as Emma put it. They found a chilled bottle of Dom Perignon sitting at their table, and Emma's eyes widened. "Holy God, Bae! Do _not_ tell me you spent $150 on a bottle of bubbly."

"Okay, wild swan. Not telling," he replied, his mouth curving in a roguish grin as he seated her.

She grabbed his hand. "Tell me!"

"I didn't," he said.

"Then who—aww hell!" she gasped. "Did he really?"

"Really and truly, dearie," her husband drawled, mimicking Rumple to a T. "Shall I do the honors?"

"Be my guest," she answered. "You know, we're going to have to do something equally nice for him and Belle when it's their turn."

"I know. He did the same thing for Snow and David." Bae said, undoing the cork and pouring some of the frothy amber liquid for each of them.

"You've got to be kidding! What is he—nuts?" She took the glass he held out.

"Seeing as it's my father—sometimes," Bae laughed, and sipped his own champagne. "Seriously, though, you know how he likes to give surprises."

"Yeah, like diamond necklaces and Versace wedding gowns," Emma nodded, then she groaned in bliss after tasting her drink. "This stuff's so good it ought to be illegal."

"Mmm . . . hon, _you_ look so good in that dress, it ought to be illegal," her husband said, giving her a leisurely eye. "You make me want to pull you across this table and commit several criminal acts with you."

"Oh, yeah?" she smirked. "What's stopping you?"

"We're in public . . . and I really don't want to get arrested. Unless you're the one doing it."

"Left my cuffs at home, lover boy," she said regretfully. "But there's always your tie." Then she started laughing. "Oh my God! Did I really just say that?"

"Yup. But if I wreck Papa's tie playing with it like that, I'll be in serious trouble," he returned, then he cracked up as well.

"Like grounded till you're fifty?" she teased, her blue eyes sparkling.

"Uh . . . yeah. In a tower."

"I'd come rescue you," she chuckled. "I'm good at jailbreaks. And sneaking out of windows."

"That's my kind of princess," he grinned, and they clinked glasses together.

As she drank, Emma looked around and said, "You know, this place is so posh I'm afraid to use the napkins just in case I wreck them." She indicated the fine white serviettes. "They probably cost more than my shoes."

"You ought to be used to that, considering that you'd be royalty," Bae remarked, buttering a roll. "It's me who ought to be intimidated. I'm just the son of a country spinner and his piece of fluff."

"Who can spin straw into gold," she murmured, eating one also.

"He only learned that when I was gone. And if we'd all stayed in our old world, you and I would probably have never met. Princesses don't usually date the kid that polishes her boots," Bae said matter-of-factly.

"Then I'm so glad we didn't grow up there," Emma said sincerely. "Because I would have said to hell with this and run off with you and created a scandal worse than any in Hollywood."

"Thanks, babe. I'm the luckiest man alive. In any world."

"Same here. I love you, Bae Gold. You doth teach the torches to burn bright," Emma smirked.

"Quoting Shakespeare now, are you?"

"Blame Belle. Since I met her, I started reading more."

"You know, they die in the end."

"I'm changing the ending," she replied impishly. "I'm the savior, I can do that. It's my other superpower."

"You mean besides the power to make a guy forget his own name when he sees you?" Bae queried naughtily.

"What's your name, mister?"

"I knew it a moment ago, swear to God," he snickered. "See what I mean?"

"Boy, that champagne's stronger than I thought," she said, and drank some more.

"Not strong enough to make me forget I love you, Emma Swan Gold," he said. "Besides I already know the ending to this tale."

"And it's actually true," she smiled at him. "Okay, let's see what they've got, shall we?" She perused the menu. "Hmm . . .I think I'll have the clams casino."

"What, no oysters?"

"Nah. They're slimy . . . and overrated."

"I'm having the seared ahi tuna," he said.

"Nostalgic?"

"A little. Master Kitaro would have loved you, Emma."

"He taught you a lot, didn't he?"

"Yeah, but most of it wasn't in any book. He's the reason I followed my heart and found you again. And found the family I'd thought lost forever. He's why I've got my happy ending now. Because he taught me how to live without regrets and to realize that the past is written on sand, and can always be washed away and you can start over. If you want to bad enough."

"He sounded like a wise man."

"He was. But he told me once he didn't get that way by sitting in a temple day after day. That once he made mistakes too, and learned the hard way how to correct them. He had a daughter once, and I'm guessing something happened to her, but he never really said. What he did say was that sometimes the best things come out of the worst mistakes you'll ever make."

"I really would have liked him," Emma said sincerely. "What are you getting?"

"I think I'll have the veal Martini," Bae said, pointing to a dish of tender veal cutlets with shallots, mushrooms, fresh and sundried tomatoes in a broth of marsala, white wine, and fresh basil.

"Sounds incredible. But I think I'll go with a New York strip with their signature peppercorn brandy sauce, three-cheese potatos Au Gratin, and green beans with pancetta," Emma read her choices aloud.

"I can't wait to taste it," he said slyly.

"Hey . . . didn't your papa ever teach you not to steal people's food?" she mock-scolded.

"Nope. I ran away before he got to that lesson," Bae replied. "But he taught me how to hold onto something good once I found it . . . and that it's never too late to say I love you."

"Then he taught you everything you need to know," Emma said. "We can trade halfway through . . . unless you eat all yours before I even take two bites."

"What are you saying? That I'm a pig?" he demanded, pretending to be insulted.

"Nope. That you eat too fast," she giggled.

"Guilty as charged. There's only one thing I love to do that I'm good at going slow at," he said silkily.

"What's that?" she purred.

"Show you later."

"That a deal?"

"Sure is, wild swan."

"Hurry up and eat, Bae."

He winked at her and almost choked on his Dom Perignon from laughing so hard.

**Page~*~*~*~Break**

The food was out of this world, and they did trade dishes, so each could experience the deliciousness of the other's entrée. Emma made eyes at Bae the whole time she was eating, and the air fairly sizzled between them.

He put a bite of steak in his mouth, then whispered, "You know, sheriff, if looks were illegal, we'd both be in jail till we were old and gray."

"Well, at least we'd enjoy being locked up," she replied with a sultry grin. "Want dessert?"

"Sure. But I've got something for you first," he pulled out a small oblong box from his jacket pocket.

"What's this?"

"Open it and see. It's something rare and precious, like my wife."

"Oh my God! Bae, this better not be a diamond bracelet or a watch or something."

"Better. It's something we can share. Now open it."

Emma did, and found several chocolate truffles dusted with cinnamon inside. "Oh! What are these?"

"They're called cinnamon chocolate explosions. Henry came up with the name. We made them for you at FAO Schweetz," Bae said.

"You _made_ me a candy? Bae, that's so . . .awesome!" She popped one in her mouth. "Mmm! Now these should _definitely_ be illegal. Here." She handed him a truffle.

He ate it, sighing in bliss. "Yeah. They're one-of-a-kind. Just like you."

"We can skip the club," she murmured, eating another one. "On second thought, we need to go there. So I can go to sleep and not worry about the ten pounds I've gained."

"I knew you were going to say that," he said. "Don't be a hog, Emma. There's enough for two in that box."

"You did that on purpose," she said, handing him another one.

"Sure did. Because the best things come together."

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

The Aria was jumping, and Bae and Emma were only too happy to join the others on the floor and dance to the swift moving Latin dance tunes, and the nostalgic 80's tunes, like Van Halen's Jump and Jackson Browne's In the Shape of a Heart. Somewhere in the middle of the disco version of the Macarena, Bae ditched his jacket on a chair of their table, saying it was too hot for it.

Emma chuckled. "If we were alone . . ." she whispered seductively in his ear as she twirled about him.

"Later," he said huskily, his eyes promising a happy ending to all her wicked fantasies.

Mambo Number Five came on, and as they were boogying to the old favorite, Bae heard someone cry, "Neal? Is that you?" in Japanese.

He turned, startled, and saw a familiar face. "Kenji? What the hell are you doing here, old pal?" he gasped in the same language and dialect, which he'd learned from his friend standing behind him.

Emma looked from her husband to the smallish Asian man in the black trousers and bright blue shirt grinning at Bae. "Who's this?"

"Kenji, say hi to my wife, Emma," Bae said, taking Emma's hand and moving back off the dance floor to their table so they could talk properly. "Emma, this is Kenji Tanaka, he's Kitaro's nephew. And also his student, way back when."

"A pleasure to meet you," Kenji said, speaking in flawless English. "Are you the one he was pining over when he was in Tokyo?"

"Nice to meet you. And the answer better be yes, Neal," Emma said.

"You were," Bae assured her. "See, I took your advice, pal, and I married her."

"Thank God. Because otherwise I'd have spent more time picking you up off the barroom floor," Kenji laughed.

"Aww, shut up! If I remember right, _I_ was the one who carried your sorry ass home after double sake shots one night," Bae pointed out, clapping him on the shoulder. "And I covered for you with Master Kitaro."

Kenji looked amused. "Surely you don't think he actually fell for that stomach virus bit?"

"No, but hey, I wasn't lying. You were puking your guts up all night."

"Don't remind me," his friend grimaced. "That was not the most memorable end to a birthday I've had. So what are you doing here, Neal? Thought you moved back to Arizona?"

"I did, but then I found Emma in Maine, along with my dad, and I changed venues and now I live up there with her, my son, and the rest of my family," Bae told him.

"Your father? But . . . didn't he die in a plane crash?" Kenji asked.

"My adopted one did, yeah. But I'm talking about my birth father," Bae clarified.

"You mean . . . you found him after all these years?"

"Yeah, along with his new family. He remarried and has a wife and a daughter and one more on the way now. It's all good. I go by Gold now, by the way. That's my real name. That's what we're doing in Manhattan, having a family vacation," Bae said.

Kenji whistled. "I'll be damned. Guess Uncle was right after all. He always said to go back and make peace with your past and all your demons would vanish."

"And he was right. As usual. How about you? You finally marry Maya or did she run off with that other guy?"

"Haji? Hell, no. I proposed before he could get out of his Lexus. She's over there, getting something to drink," Kenji said. He pointed to the bar, where a lovely dark-haired woman in a black dress was leaning on the bar. "Best thing I ever did. We've got two girls, twins. And you've got a son?"

"Yeah. He's with my parents," Bae said. "Actually both our parents, since we're all here at the Plaza. You here on vacation too?"

"Business, but Maya flew down to spend a long weekend with me."

"From Japan?" Emma blinked.

"No. Pennsylvania," Kenji answered. "She's from the States, and she's over here for the summer, visiting her family. We're both attorneys, but I had to come here and finish up a case my firm was working on. And Maya and I decided we needed some me-and-you time, so here we are. It's great to see you again, Neal."

"You too," said Bae, smiling at him. "Small world, isn't it?"

"There are no coincidences, as my uncle would say," Kenji said. "Maya, look what the wind blew in," he called to his wife, who was returning with two drinks in her hands.

"Neal? Oh my God!" Maya cried. "Here, hold these," she thrust the drinks at Kenji and hugged Baelfire. "How are you? Did you ever open up that dojo you said you wanted to?"

"Sure did, Maya. And found that girl I said I lost too. Maya, meet my wife, Emma," Bae introduced the perky brunette to his wife.

They shook hands, and Maya explained she had been an exchange student going to university in Tokyo and that was where she had met Neal and Kenji.

The two couples chatted and had a few drinks and danced together until they were tripping over their own feet and Kenji said they'd better stop before they embarrassed themselves by doing themselves an injury. Or someone else.

"Because the last thing I need is to be involved in a lawsuit," he laughed.

"Been there, done that," Maya chuckled.

"Yeah, and Emma's off duty, she's the sheriff in our town," Bae told them.

"Really? And how'd you two meet?" asked Maya.

"It was over a car," Emma said.

"You pulled him over?" the other woman asked.

"Something like that."

"I knew it! I always told him one day he was gonna end up arrested," Kenji teased.

"Look who's talking. I seem to remember a certain somebody needing me to post bail and begging me not to tell his uncle," Bae recalled.

"It was a misunderstanding . . ."

"Sure it was, hon," Maya snorted. "Haji just happened to misunderstand when you beat the crap out of him for kissing me." She looked at Emma. "Haji was the guy I used to date and we were just about over when I met Kenji and he didn't like the fact I chose Kenji over his blue-blood pompous self."

"So I taught him a lesson in manners," Kenji said ruefully. "And the little ass couldn't handle it and pressed charges for assault. And since I was a martial arts student of my uncle's . . . well, for awhile there I was in trouble, but Neal helped me out."

"He's good at that," Emma said, and hugged her husband.

"It was great seeing you guys," Bae told them. "How long are you here for?"

"Tomorrow's our last day, then it's back to Penn we go," Maya said regretfully. "But hey, here's my email, so we can keep in touch." She scribbled it down on a napkin and handed it to Bae.

"Yeah, don't be a stranger, Neal," Kenji said, and then they both laughed.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

Emma and Bae got back to the suite after midnight, happy and slightly drunk from drinking rum wallbangers with Maya and Kenji. As they unlocked the door of the suite, Emma said, "It's a good thing we took the subway back, Bae. Because if I was driving, it wouldn't be a good thing."

"Tell me about it. You'd have to arrest yourself for a DWI," her husband sniggered.

"Or you for indecent exposure," she giggled, pointing to his shirt, which had the three top buttons undone.

"This? This is indecent? What'd you grow up in a convent?"

"It is when you consider the thoughts I'm having," Emma said, and then she pulled him inside and shut the door. Then she tripped over his foot. "Hey! Watch those big feet of yours, Bozo."

He grabbed her before she fell and hugged her to him. "Come on, Em. Thought you didn't want to be like all those other girls, fainting at my feet. Besides, you know what they say."

"What who says?" she murmured, kissing him ardently.

"The size of a guy's shoe equals the size of something else," he said wickedly.

"Don't I know it," she smirked and then started to giggle helplessly. "Thank God no one's awake to see us like this."

"Yeah, because I'd have some 'splainin' to do to your papa, Emma," Bae said wryly. "Here. I'll carry you."

"No, Bae . . . really I can walk . . ." she protested as he picked her up.

"For about three steps, yeah. God, I feel like I'm sixteen and I have to help you sneak back into the house without anybody knowing."

"If that's the case, I'd have shot you by now," David said, sticking his head out from the kitchenette.

Bae and Emma both jumped. "Hell, David! You want to give me a heart attack?"

"Maybe. How come you're carrying Emma?"

"Uh . . . it's a long story," Bae began, looking slightly guilty.

"It usually is, dearie," Rumple said from behind them.

"Oh my God, Rumple!" Emma gasped. "What is this, the welcoming committee? Or is this one of those nostalgic things you two never got to do so you're doing it now kind of thing?"

"You mean waiting up with my shotgun?" David grinned.

"Uh . . . something like that," Emma snickered.

"Or giving the it's past midnight, now where the hell were you speech?" Bae said.

"We already know where you were. Now what the hell were you doing, young man?" Rumple teased, shaking his finger at them playfully.

"Uh . . . I don't think you want to know, Papa," Bae said, his eyes glinting.

"Yeah, otherwise he'll be in serious trouble," Emma said, her eyes twinkling.

"Like shot dead?" David asked, deadpan.

"Or grounded for life," Rumple added.

Bae shot Emma a rueful glance. "It's your fault. I knew you were trouble the minute I saw you."

"Like hell. Your middle name's trouble, right, Rumple?" Emma snorted.

"It could be, dearie," Rumple said slyly.

"Yeah, well at least I never stole a car!" Bae objected.

"You did worse. You stole my daughter," Charming said, pretending to be annoyed.

"Mea culpa!" Bae admitted.

"Where did we go wrong?" Rumple asked David mournfully.

"We forgot to lock the door to the dungeon," Charming said, and then they all chuckled.

"Seriously, though, how was your dinner?" Rumple queried.

"It was fantastic. And so was the champagne, Papa," Bae told him. "Thanks!"

"Yeah, it was incredible, Rumple. Just like your son," Emma declared.

"You're welcome, dearie. Nice to know I did something right," her father-in-law smiled. "She's got her father's charm."

"And her mother's smile," David said. "How was the club?"

"It was good. We danced, we drank, we met some old friends of Bae's, and then we danced and drank some more," Emma said.

"And we managed not to get arrested," Bae said, cocking an eyebrow at Emma.

"Arrested?" Rumple repeated. "Do I want to know?"

"No!" They chorused.

"I think I need a drink," David said, rolling his eyes.

"Name your poison, Nolan. We have water, iced coffee, and fruit punch," Rumple said, pulling a water bottle out of the fridge.

"I knew I should have saved some of that champagne," David lamented.

"You snooze, you lose, Dad," Emma snickered.

"Can you believe the disrespect I have to put up with?" David said to Rumple. "Unbelievable!"

"You know, we should have beaten them more often."

"Yeah, maybe we should've," David agreed.

"Hey!" their offspring cried.

"Just kidding, dearies," Rumple smirked. He tossed David a water.

"Okay, I'm going to bed," Bae said.

"Me too!" Emma said, smiling goofily up at her husband. "But we won't be doing too much sleeping, right, Bae?"

David almost choked on his water. "How much did she have?"

"I don't think you want to know, dearie," Rumple said.

"Okay, good night!" Bae called, cuddling Emma to him. "C'mon, Em. Before you say something worse and he really does shoot my ass." He started to walk out of the room.

"I'd kiss it better, love," she leered.

" _Emma_! My God!" Charming snapped.

Rumple laid a hand on his arm. "They're married, David. Remember?"

"Good thing. Otherwise I really _would_ shoot him."

"And then you'd end up a slug," Rumple said softly.

"Like I said, it's a good thing they're married."

There was the sound of something banging.

"Bae! You're supposed to open the door, idiot!"

"I was going to, but my hands were full!"

"All you had to do was let go and turn the knob."

"And dump you on the floor? Okay, sweetheart."

"I can't believe you forgot how to open a door, Gold!"

"Sorry I don't have three hands, princess," Bae growled.

"Damn! I wish you did."

"Maybe we ought to go help them," David muttered.

"No. It's more amusing to watch them try to open the door fifty times and take pictures on my phone," Rumple said with a sly grin. "Like this," then he went and snapped a picture. _Bae and Emma—Punch Drunk Love._


	16. Miss Liberty and Mermaids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the family goes to the Statue of Liberty--and has a surprising encounter with something not of this world. Also funny family bonding moments!

Much to their relief, Bae and Emma woke the next morning with only mild hangovers, mostly because Bae made sure they drank water before falling asleep . . . once they had gotten the door to their room open. Emma vowed she was going to die when she recalled a few things she had said to David and Rumple the night before, and thought about hiding in her room for the rest of the time. That morning on the agenda was breakfast and then a ferry ride to Liberty Island to see the statue. All of them were pretty excited to do this, since none of them, even Bae, who'd been to Manhattan before, had ever gone to visit the statue.

Bae went into the second bathroom, as by unspoken default, the guys had one and the girls the other, and began to wash up, gently scrubbing the sleep from his eyes and starting to shave. As he was lathering his face, Henry came in, looking bright-eyed and bushytailed, and tried to comb his hair while watching his father shave.

After a few moments, Henry put the brush aside and said, "Dad, how do you manage not to . . . uh . . . cut yourself?"

"There's a few tricks I can show you, tiger, when you're old enough," Bae answered, carefully rinsing his shaver and then continuing.

"When did you start shaving?"

"Uh . . . well, I tried to around fourteen, but I didn't have too much, so it was really just for show," Bae admitted.

"Did Grandpa teach you?"

"Back then, yeah, he showed me a little, but there really wasn't a need to. Not till I came here, and I was adopted by the Cassidys. Then I needed to learn, and my adopted father, Neal, taught me," Bae answered, carefully scraping.

"Is it hard?"

"Only if you're in a hurry and not paying attention or being careful," Bae said. "And using one of these razors, with the safety blades, is a lot easier than trying to shave with a straight blade, like we used in Fairy Tale Land. _Those_ could give you a nasty cut if you didn't know how to use them. A kid I knew almost killed himself that way."

"That's horrible!" Henry said.

"Yes, that's why I never let him touch my razor," Rumple said, coming into the bathroom with his shaving kit.

Bae finished shaving and rinsed his razor and put it away, then said, "C'mon, Henry. Let's make some coffee."

"But I wanna watch Grandpa shave," his son protested.

"Kid, your grandfather likes his privacy—"

"It's okay. Let him stay," Gold said. "You used to watch me too at his age."

"I did?" Bae said. "I don't remember that."

"I do," Rumple said simply. He began to run the water in the sink, and as he did so, he calmly explained to his grandson what he was doing.

Smiling, Bae went to put on some coffee and see if Emma had gotten up yet.

Meanwhile, in the Charming room, David was awakened by a small body sitting on him and calling, "Wake up, Daddy! It's morning time!"

David opened his eyes to find Regina sitting on him, smiling sweetly. "Hey, princess. It's morning already?"

"Yup. An' today Mommy says we're gonna visit Miss Liberty," Regina told him.

"Really? And here I thought today was our day to sleep in, Snow," Charming yawned and sat up.

"No, tomorrow we'll do that," Snow said, putting on her white running shoes. "Regina, let Daddy get up and come over here and let me dress you." As she pulled Regina's red, white, and blue dress out of the suitcase, Snow smiled at her daughter.

"Yay! My flag dress!" Regina sang, and she scrambled off David and ran over to Snow, pulling off her nightgown as she did so.

David winked at Snow before rising and heading into the bathroom. He found Henry leaning on the counter, watching avidly as Gold shaved. "What's this? Shaving lessons?"

"No. I don't have anything yet," Henry said, a trifle disappointed. "I just like to watch, that's all."

"I remember wishing I had a father to watch when I was that age," Charming remarked.

"Who taught you, Gramps?"

"A neighbor who had five boys down the road," he replied. "I'm going to jump in the shower, okay?"

Rumple waved a hand in acknowledgement, patting his face dry with a towel. "You see? That wasn't hard at all, was it?"

"No. But I don't know how much I'll remember of it."

"Don't worry. Bae will show you if you forget," Rumple said, playfully mussing his grandson's hair as he left the bathroom and headed back to his room to get his shoes on.

When he entered the room he shared with Belle, he found her sitting on the bed braiding Alina's long silky hair. For a moment he didn't announce himself, just paused there on the threshold to watch the tranquil scene of mother and daughter, his slender hands in his pockets.

His daughter was saying something about the Statue of Liberty as Belle deftly wove a crown of braids about her head, her brown eyes sparkling with curiosity.

 _My two beautiful girls,_ Rumple thought happily as he watched the domestic scene. _Soon we'll be four._ His eyes lit on his wife's stomach, still flat and unremarkable, but soon enough it would grow and advertise the new life within.

Belle secured the last bit of Alina's hair with a hair tie and said, "There, sweetie! You're set."

Alina hopped off the bed and ran over to the mirror to see what she looked like.

"You look wonderful," Gold assured her as he came into the room.

Alina looked up at him and said, "Do you like my hair, Papa? Mama made it in a crown of braids for me."

"You're a knockout, dearie," he chuckled, and hugged her.

"I'm going to get dressed," Alina said, taking her clothes into the bathroom.

Rumple looked at Belle. "You feeling okay?"

"Yes. I drank some ginger tea this morning and that helps my stomach," his wife said. She was dressed in a blue dress and white athletic shoes, a simple choice, but one that suited her to perfection. She picked up the brush she'd been using on Alina and began to brush her hair.

"Here, dearie. Allow me," Gold gently took the brush and began to lovingly brush Belle's dark tresses. His slender hands stroked through her thick hair as he brought the brush along it, making her hair crackle as he did so.

"God, I love your hair," he whispered, caressing it gently, his fingers finding each small tangle and tenderly unraveling it. The scent of milk and honey shampoo wafted into his nostrils and he inhaled the aroma and felt himself transported back to his castle. Belle's hair had smelled the same then. It was unchanged, he mused. Like her love for him, an unwavering light that shone for him throughout everything.

He brushed until her dark hair shone like watered silk, glossy and vibrant. Sometimes brushing her hair was erotic to him, but today he forced himself to recall that they'd be going to Liberty Island and to forgo everything till after this trip was over. "You want me to braid it, Belle?"

"Please, Rumple," she nodded.

He carefully took sections and twined and wrapped them lovingly, making one long French braid down her back, then securing it with a pretty silver rose barrette. "There! How's that?"

"Brilliant, Rumple," she assured him, then turned her head and their mouths met in a single fiery kiss.

She would have liked the moment to last forever, but then she heard Snow tapping on the door and calling, "Belle! Rumple! You ready to go down to breakfast?"

"In a minute, dearie," Rumple called back. "Later we'll finish this," he said to her, caressing her cheek. Then he went to put on his shoes and fix his hair, which had gotten a little mussed from Belle's fingers when she'd kissed him.

They found the rest of the family gathered in the den, Emma drinking a mug of black coffee and looking rather wan, everyone was dressed in some combination of red, white, and blue to honor the statue and what she stood for. Gold had on blue jeans and a white T-shirt with a small flag on it. His cufflinks were in his pants pocket.

"Everybody ready?" Charming asked.

"Yes!" Regina cried, practically jumping up and down. She looked adorable in her red, white, and blue ruffled dress with her lacy socks and red sparkly shoes, like Dorothy's. "We're going on a boat! Hooray!"

"A boat?" Bae looked like he was about to throw up. "Oh, no. I can't . . ."

"Bae, it won't be like last time," Rumple said quickly.

"Papa, I get deathly ill no matter what kind of boat I'm on," his son protested.

"Not this time," Rumple assured him, and he went and clicked his cufflinks. Then he moved over and put his hands on both sides of Bae's head and called upon his healing magic. "There, son! I've fixed the imbalance in your ears that was causing you to get nauseous. You'll be fine now."

"I will?" Bae repeated. "That's it?"

"Yes."

"Awesome!" he said, and grinned. "Thanks, Papa."

"Hmm . . . maybe that cruise to Bermuda or Disney World isn't out of the question now," Emma mused.

"We'll see," Bae said. "Let me just get through this ferry ride or whatever you call it."

"I wonder if we'll see any mermaids?" Regina said suddenly.

"Uh . . . I don't think so, Regina," Henry said. "This is New York, not Storybrooke. I don't think mermaids live over here."

"Aww! But I wanna play with Ariel," she sighed.

"You can play with your doll when we get back, in the bathtub," David said. "Right now, let's go to breakfast."

"I want smiley face pancakes, Daddy," Regina said, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the door of the suite.

"Oh, boy," David said. "Looks like another fun filled day, if she's this energetic now. Rumple, isn't there something you could give her to . . . uh . . . calm her down?"

"Like what? She's a child, David. And they're like wind-up toys, they go from morning till afternoon and then they collapse," Rumple stated. "Mine were both like that. You just have to wait till they wind down."

"C'mon, Daddy!" Regina tugged David's hand, and he followed her to the door.

"I don't think I was as bad as she is," Alina muttered to Henry.

"You were bad enough," Rumple snorted. "The amount of times I had to look for you behind all the furniture, miss, gave me gray hairs."

"Where? I don't see any."

"Never mind, Miss Sassy," her father half-scolded, and gave her a playful swat on the back of the head.

"You sure you can handle this kid, Papa?" Bae teased.

Rumple raised an eyebrow. "What are you implying, Baelfire? And if you tell me I'm old, I'll make you sorry, boy."

"Never mind," his son said, smirking. "You didn't raise any stupid kids."

"That's what I thought," his father said smugly.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

The ferry ride to Liberty Island lasted about twenty minutes. That whole time Regina spent looking into the water, hoping to catch a glimpse of a mermaid. David made sure she was never unescorted during the ride, fearing she might decide to take an unauthorized swim into the Hudson in search of one.

Since they had already purchased tickets online, the Golds didn't join the long line wending its ways towards the statue, whose imposing structure dominated the whole island. Snow stared up at the statue, the symbol of freedom and light for millions, and whispered to David, "This is what we wanted our kingdom to stand for. Hope, light, and freedom."

His hand clasped hers. "I know. It's . . . awe-inspiring, isn't it?"

His wife nodded.

Regina stared up at the great statue with her gilded torch and said, "Mommy, she has a crown on her head like a princess."

"You're right, sweetie. The crown she has represents light and freedom and the rays are the seven continents of the world," Snow said.

David stared at her. "How do you know all this?"

"I'm a teacher, David. I have to know these things about our country and history," Snow said. She pointed to the base of the statue. "And there by her feet are the broken shackles of oppression and tyranny."

One of the park Rangers was saying that visitors to the island could take a guided tour or an audio tour and those who had tickets could climb up for the pedestal view or the crown view.

"Do we have them?" asked Alina hopefully.

"Yes. We got all the tickets," Emma said. "Only thing is, the view from the crown can only be accessed by going up a confined spiral staircase of 154 stairs. Can you do it, Belle? Or do you want to wait here?"

Belle considered. "I think I should be okay, Emma. It's not like I'm trapped in a box, like on the elevator. As long as I'm moving and Rumple's there with me, I'll be fine."

"I'll be right next to you, dearie," Rumple said. He gazed at Miss Liberty, the statue standing tall and proud facing the harbor, welcoming the lonely and lost, the seekers of adventure and freedom and a chance to start over to her shores. And now she would even welcome his family, visitors from a world beyond time and space. _We were strangers in a strange land, and yet . . . that is no longer so. Now we belong . . . we have made a home here, just like the millions of other immigrants who came here long ago. We came unwilling, like slaves to these shores, but now we are free . . . and you are a representative of that freedom, Lady._

"Grandpa," Henry said, coming up beside him. "Did you know that the statue was built by both Americans and French people? It was like a cooperative effort to show friendship between two countries."

"Yes. If we take the tour, you can learn more about her," Rumple said. He stared up at the colossus, the serene face watching over the harbor, and thought, _you are both impressive and beautiful, Lady. Hope springs eternal in your eyes and you inspire those who see you to recall what is best and good in all of them. You stand like a beacon, guiding the lost home again, even those like me, who were once forever damned to shadows and night. It matters not, for we are all equal here, and all worthy of a second chance. In a way, you remind me of my wife._

Belle's hand clasped his, and he turned to her and smiled. "Admiring the view, dearie?"

"Yes. She's magnificent, isn't she?" Belle said.

"That she is. Have you read the poem on her base?"

"No. Not yet."

"I'm sure we can get a copy in the museum gift shop," Gold said softly.

"I'd like that, Rumple. It's strange, but . . . she makes me feel so peaceful. Like curling up in a fuzzy blanket in front of the fire with you beside me. Isn't that silly?" Belle laughed.

"No. Because she makes me feel the same way. Like I've come home," Rumple murmured.

"Perhaps because we have, in a way," his wife said.

They remained staring up at Lady Liberty for several more moments, until Bae called them to listen to the audio tour.

They all listened while the automated tour guide told them interesting facts about the statue and her construction and what she meant to the American people and the world. Once it was over, thirty minutes later, they all filed over to the line to get into the pedestal observatory, where they could see spectacular views of New York Harbor, New Jersey, Ellis Island, and New York.

Once inside the pedestal, they all caught their breath at the beautiful vista of the harbor and the skyline of Manhattan, with the sun glinting off the water and clouds scudding across the sky.

"Look! I can see Ellis Island, where we were a few days ago," Henry pointed out.

"It's beautiful up here," Emma agreed. "Like a postcard or something."

"So peaceful," agreed Bae, gazing out across the water at the city lights.

David and Snow stood with Regina at one end of the observation deck, and Regina suddenly pointed out into the harbor.

"Mommy, look! A mermaid!"

Snow smiled indulgently. "Regina, honey, that's not a mermaid. It's just a rock."

"No, Mommy! It's a mermaid! I saw her tail," the little girl insisted.

"Sweetie, mermaids don't . . . they aren't real here," Snow explained.

"Are too! I saw one!" Regina argued.

"David, maybe you can explain to her—" Snow began.

Suddenly, Regina pulled free of her and ran over to Rumple and Belle. "Unca Rumple, do you see the mermaid there?" She pointed out into the harbor.

"Where, dearie?" Rumple asked, squinting. He could almost make out . . . something.

"There! See? See?"

"I see . . . something," he muttered. "Belle, do you see it?"

Belle looked and said, "I don't know. I can kind of make . . . something out, Rumple, but it's too far away to tell."

"That's 'cause she's going away," Regina said sadly.

Rumple patted her back. "Maybe she'll come back, dearie."

"Yeah, maybe," Regina said hopefully. Then she skipped over to where Henry and Alina were standing. "Henry, Alina, will you come look for the mermaid with me?"

"What mermaid, Regina?" asked Alina.

"The one I saw out there in the water."

"You saw a mermaid in the water?" Henry asked. "For real?"

"Uh huh. I did!" Regina insisted.

Henry looked at Alina. "Do you think . . .?"

The little sorceress shrugged. "It's possible. With us, almost anything is. And now that the magic's awake . . ."

"Yeah, but here?"

"Why not here?"

"You're right." He looked at Regina and said, "When we're done going up to the crown, we'll walk around the island and see, okay?"

"Yes! Yes! When we going upstairs?"

"Uh . . . go ask Gran," Henry said.

Regina scurried up to Snow again, and pulled on her jacket. "Mommy, when we goin' upstairs. To the crown?"

"Soon, baby. As soon as the last group comes down," she told the child.

Regina danced impatiently from foot to foot, prompting David to ask softly, "Hey, do you have to go potty?"

"No! I just wanna go upstairs," Regina said, rolling her eyes. Hadn't she just asked that? Sometimes her daddy was so clueless!

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Regina began to climb the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty. At first she was willing and able to go up them on her own, holding Mommy's hand, then Daddy's, then Unca Rumple's, then Bae's, Emma's, Alina's and Henry's too. But by the time they'd climbed up over twenty steps, Regina's little legs were tired and achy.

"Carry me, please, Bae," she said, stretching out her arms to him.

"C'mere, little minx," her big cousin said, and then he picked her up and held her while he went up the stairs.

Then, when the little girl squirmed, he put her down, and she ran up to where David was climbing, and asked him to carry her next.

Twenty-five stairs later, even Charming was growing fatigued, and Regina wriggled and he set her down.

She waited for Unca Rumple to catch up with Auntie Belle and then she held out her arms to him.

"Okay, dearie. I guess it's my turn, huh?" her sorcerer uncle said.

"Yup." She grinned at him and practically jumped into his arms.

"Whoa! You want me to fall?" he half-scolded, but he wasn't really angry with her exuberance.

They started up the stairs again, and Regina chattered happily to Rumple about how Lady Liberty was like a princess because she wore a crown. The pawnbroker smiled at the eager little snippet, keeping one arm around her and his other around Belle.

He found the climb a little taxing, but nothing like it would have been with his old injury. He cast concerned glances at his wife as they climbed the stairs, but she seemed to be holding her own, and not tensing up or worrying her lower lip the way she did when she was nervous. He'd learned months before to tell the signs that might herald one of her attacks, and she showed none of them now. He breathed a sigh of relief.

Belle looked over at him. "Rumple, are you okay? Is your leg?"

"Yes, I'm fine, Belle. My leg's fine. But my arm's a bit tired from carrying this little imp here," he teased, tweaking his niece's nose.

"Are you sure, Rumple?"

"Quite, dearie."

Over a hundred steps passed beneath their feet as they climbed higher and higher in a spiral dance. Rather like the spiral of magic, Rumple thought. It was odd, but he could almost . . . almost sense magic here . . . like an invisible presence it seemed to permeate the stones.

 _Don't be ridiculous, Rumple!_ He scolded himself. _Magicians didn't build this statue, men did. Ordinary men. And yet . . ._ he couldn't shake the odd feeling that magic had been used here . . . once. A long time ago.

He thought of the book _The Universal Spiral,_ written by one of the magicians of this world, that detailed the way magic worked in this land and the price that was always required of a practitioner. He'd read that book from cover to cover and memorized it too. And one thing he recalled quite clearly, was that the Power chose irrespective of station or position. So even an ordinary man could have magic.

He placed a hand upon the wall and for a brief flicker of an instant, he felt magic's tingle race through him.

"Oh!" he gasped.

"Rumple! What's wrong?" Belle asked, alarmed.

"Nothing. I was just . . . a little startled," he said. He laid his hand along the wall again . . . but now he felt nothing. Had it just been an echo?

Magic is the unending spiral. And now it has returned, he thought, recalling the words of Flynn White Wing, the book's author. And with its return, who could say what had awakened?

He kept one hand on the wall as they walked up the last set of steps to the crown. He wondered if any of the others had felt it. It didn't appear to be so. Was it just him? He knew he was particularly sensitive to magic, because of the two curses he'd had upon him and the fact that he'd lived so long with magic, so being who and what he was, he could feel magic more keenly.

Upon reaching the crown observatory, Rumple set Regina on her feet. "Stay by me," he ordered, holding her hand.

"Kay," she said, seemingly awed by the magnificent view.

Rumple didn't blame her one bit. He had seen wonders in his own world, but this magnificent panorama took his breath away. There was a railing before the edge of the crown, preventing anyone from going too close to the edge.

He heard Belle gasp in awe as she looked out over the harbor. He moved next to her, one hand clasping Regina's and the other touching the railing, and then he felt it again.

The echo of magic . . . a magic worked long ago.

He shut his eyes, trying to sense it, but it eluded him, like a will-o-wisp darting just out of reach. Sighing, he relaxed. He hadn't dreamed it or imagined it. It had been there.

Magic had been worked into these stones . . . all unknowing. And it carried with it a few small perceptions of the one who had done so.

Gold felt it. For the briefest flicker of an instant.

The warm glow of hope.

The true message of the statue.

From one lost traveler to another.

Rumple rested his hand upon the railing and smiled. _Lady, thank you._

His reverie was broken suddenly by Regina yelling, "Unca Rumple! Lookit! I see her! The mermaid!"

Snow groaned upon hearing that. "Oh, Regina!" Then she smiled. She was a little girl, after all. Who cared if she imagined mermaids in the harbor?

Then she frowned. Rumple had picked up the little girl, and was asking her something.

"There!" Regina pointed again. "See?"

Rumple followed the child's tiny hand, putting his other hand to his forehead to shield his eyes from the sun. Then he looked hard, ignoring as best he could the skyline of Manhattan.

"Unca Rumple! You see her?" Regina asked again.

Slowly, the sorcerer nodded. "Yes. I see it, Regina."

"See what?" asked Belle.

"A mermaid's tail," he replied.

"Where?" his wife cried squinting. "I can't see anything."

"Don't tell me you're seeing things too, Rumple!" Snow cried. "Charming, do you see anything?"

"Uh . . . no . . ."

"Because there's nothing there to see," Snow said exasperatedly.

"I'm not crazy, dearie. Alina, come here. Look out over the water and tell me what you see."

"Alina, there's a—" Regina began, only to be hushed by her uncle.

Alina looked hard across the water. Then she murmured, "Papa, do you see what I see?"

"What do you see?"

"I see . . . a mermaid swimming. Right there," she lifted a finger and pointed.

"What the hell is this? Some kind of hallucination?" Snow muttered to David. "What did they all have to eat for breakfast?"

"Henry! Come and see this!" Alina called.

Henry came up and peered out across the harbor. "Oh my God! Regina was right. There really _is_ a mermaid in the harbor!"

Snow squinted again, peering as hard as she could. Nothing. "Okay. Did any of you have anything to eat with mushrooms?"

"Mushrooms?" Henry wrinkled his nose. "No way! With cinnamon waffles? Yuck!"

"What's going on, Mom?" Emma asked, coming over to them.

"Emma, they're having a bad trip or something," Snow began. "They all think they see a mermaid in the harbor. Regina started it."

"Maybe they're playing along with her?" Emma speculated.

"Mom! Look over here!" Henry called to her.

Emma came to stand by her son. "Henry, there's no such thing as mermaids, you know . . . oh . . . is that . . .?"

"Yeah! See her aqua and gold tail?" Henry cried.

"See how it sparkles?" Alina cried excitedly.

"A mermaid! A mermaid!" Regina sang, clapping her hands. She looked over at Snow. "Toldja so!"

"Don't gloat, little imp," Rumple said.

"I don't understand," Snow said. "Why can you see it and I can't?"

"Simple, dearie. That's a magical creature out there. Probably veiled to mortal sight. But not to those with magic," Rumple said.

"Regina doesn't have magic," Charming objected.

"Not now. But she's still sensitive to it. Plus, she's a child, and children believe. Magic is based upon belief," Rumple told them. "There's a mermaid over there. Trust me. I didn't inhale any mushroom spores, Snow White!"

"What are you saying?" Belle cried, staring at Snow. "That my husband's some . . . some . . . hippie or whatever they called them . . . those people who. . . uh . . . smoked weeds and LDS and wore rainbow shirts and drove vans with flowers in them?"

"Umm . . ."

Emma started laughing, unable to help herself.

"Emma!" Belle snapped. "What's so funny? She thinks my Rumple smokes CPC dust or whatever they called it."

"What's CPC?" asked Henry.

"It's some kind of drug," Alina answered. "I think it makes you see things."

"Like mermaids?" Henry queried.

"Okay! I'm sorry," Snow said. "But I was confused!"

Belle frowned. "So . . . what have _you_ been smoking?"

Emma lost it then, laughing hysterically. Bae was also, almost doubled over.

Charming stared at his daughter and son-in-law and muttered, "The question is—what have _they_ been smoking?"

Regina waved at the mermaid as it swam away. "Bye, Ariel!"


	17. Bella Notte

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumple and Belle have a grand old time on the town . . .and then engage in some rather heated late night activities . . . until Regina interrupts them.

The four magic wielders remained staring out at the harbor long after the mermaid had disappeared beneath the water. The sun dazzled water made them squint, but none of them stopped looking until several minutes had passed. Then it was time to go back down to the Liberty Island Museum, where they could obtain pictures of the statue and other souvenirs.

As Bae headed down the stairs with Emma next to him, he whispered, "Hey, wild swan. Want to try some LDS?"

Emma started cracking up again. "Baelfire! Shut up before I wet my pants."

"I heard they sell some of that in some warehouse at the end of the harbor," her husband joked, his eyes twinkling with mischief. Then he started laughing too.

Alina and Henry just rolled their eyes. "Our family's so weird," Henry said.

"Especially when they laugh at stuff that makes no sense," Alina replied.

Regina was now holding Snow's hand and prattling about the "pretty mermaid" and how cool it was. "I wanna talk to one, Mommy."

"Well, I don't think you can, since she's gone," Snow reminded her. "But how about we see what they have in the museum gift shop? Maybe you can get a crown like Lady Liberty."

"Yeah! I wanna crown, so's I can be like her an' a princess," Regina said happily.

Halfway down, she went and ran over to where Belle and Rumple were walking and skipped along beside them, her ruby red shoes twinkling. "Unca Rumple, will the mermaid come back?"

The pawnbroker looked down at the child and said, "That's difficult to say, Regina. Mermaids come and go like the tides, there one minute and gone the next."

"But I wanna say hi to her," Regina said.

"Most mermaids won't talk to humans," Rumple told her.

"Why?"

"Because most of them believe that the only good human's a dead one, dearie. They're not all like Ariel in the movie. A lot of them are cruel and vicious."

"What's 'vicious' mean?"

"Very mean and nasty," he elaborated.

"Was the mermaid we saw mean?"

"I don't know, dearie. But it's best not to take chances. So you stay out of the water around here, Regina," he cautioned. He didn't say it, but some of the nastier mermaids had been known to steal away unattended children and drown them, but he didn't want to scare her silly, so he kept that part to himself.

"I will," she said. "I can't swim yet."

"Maybe I can teach you when we get back home," Belle suggested. "You can learn in our pool."

"You can swim, Auntie Belle?"

"Yes, quite well, actually. Would you like me to show you?"

Regina nodded. "Yeah. I wanna learn to swim like a mermaid."

"Okay, we'll do that," Belle agreed, thinking it would also be good exercise for her to do while she was pregnant.

When they reached the Museum, a long low brick building towards the north side of the island, close by the ferry, they all showed their ticket stubs to get into it and explore the gift shop and the interesting pictures of the building of the statue.

Rumple studied those carefully, still trying to figure out who had used magic upon the stones when they constructed the statue. He knew the task was probably impossible, and the magician most likely dead long ago, but it was an interesting way to pass the time while the others all swarmed into the gift shop.

Snow bought Regina a Statue of Liberty playset, which included a green drape, a working light-up torch, and a fabric crown. She also bought a Statue of Liberty ornament to put on their Christmas tree. David got a blue hat with the statue on it and the words Liberty and Justice For All.

Henry picked out a book about the statue with all kinds of photos and facts, and Emma bought a small snow globe with the statue in it to put on her desk at work. Bae bought a T-shirt with Liberty Island on it.

Alina got the Statue of Liberty Barbie, a limited edition collectible. Belle bought Rumple a Christmas gift, a limited edition collection of coins and stamps with the Statue on them, minted for the centennial celebration and covered in gold leaf, in a handsome leather collector's case. She also bought an ornament for their tree.

Once they had all purchased something, they met Rumple in the lobby and got back on the ferry to return to the city.

Once they were back in Manhattan, they went to eat at a small Jewish deli near the ferry that served homemade matzo ball soup, corned beef sandwiches, latkes and sugar sprinkled donuts. Belle declared the soup was to die for, with a huge matzo ball floating in a chicken broth base with pieces of shredded chicken and noodles surrounding it. "I'm going to get Alice to make this when we get home," she said. "It's amazing!"

Rumple had corned beef and sauerkraut on rye with Russian dressing, and it came with homemade potato salad and a pickle. "If you think the soup's amazing, Belle, try this." He gave her part of his sandwich, which was huge.

Snow and David raved over the latkes with applesauce (also homemade) and corned beef hash. Regina had some as well, and she actually ate her lunch without fussing this time.

Henry and Bae had something called a Thanksgiving sandwich, it was slices of turkey piled up on sourdough bread with stuffing and cranberry sauce. It came with mashed potatoes and gravy. Henry said all that was missing was the pumpkin pie, it was so good.

Emma and Alina opted for hot pastrami and Swiss on rye with sides of potato salad also. "My God," Emma said. "This pastrami is like the best I've ever tasted. I want to know where they get it."

"It's probably homemade too," said David. "Everything else here is."

For dessert they had some homemade donuts and melted chocolate sauce to dip them in. They were so good that Bae ordered a box to take back with them, along with the leftover sandwiches and salads they couldn't finish. They all agreed they could happily eat them for dinner. Belle ordered another bowl of soup to go, and Snow another portion of corned beef hash, since David devoured his.

The walk back to the hotel was refreshing and once they had arrived, most of them opted to take a nap.

Regina was whining that she wanted to play with her Ariel doll, like David had promised, so Alina and Henry volunteered to help her take a bath.

"You sure that's a good idea?" Emma said doubtfully.

Snow yawned. "I'm beat and I know Alina's responsible, she's taken care of Alexa before. She can keep an eye on Regina and Henry."

So Snow ran the water in the tub and Alina got Ariel out of Regina's bag and put her in the water, along with Regina. She turned to Henry. "You put in the bubble bath while I go get her some new clothes, okay?"

"Sure. Uh . . . how much do I put in?" he asked.

"One or two capfuls," she said, and left the bathroom.

"Make bubbles, Henry!" Regina squealed.

So Henry added a capful of bubble bath to the water. "Hmm . . . this doesn't look like enough," he said, and started to pour another capful in.

"I help!" Regina cried, and the next thing he knew, the entire bottle of bubble bath was in the tub.

"Oh no! Regina, what've you done?" he gasped.

Bubbles were foaming all over at a rapid rate. Henry gaped at them and suddenly they were overflowing onto the floor.

"Aww, crap!"

He went to shut off the faucet and slipped on some bubbles and almost fell into the tub. "Yikes!"

"Hey!" Regina cried, giggling. "You wanna take a bath too?"

"Oh, boy! Now what do we do?" he cried in dismay, as bubbles kept coming out of the tub and onto the floor. "Uh . . . Alina . . . we've got a little problem . . ."

Alina was coming back into the bathroom with some towels and Regina's pajamas when she saw the bubbles all over the floor. "Henry! What the hell's going on in here? All you had to do was pour a capful of bubble bath into the water!"

"It wasn't my fault! Regina grabbed the bottle and dumped it all in," he cried.

Regina was now splashing and making Ariel dive into the mountain of bubbles. "Yay! It's snowing!"

"Great! We'd better clean this up before one of our parents sees," Alina groaned.

"How? There's bubbles _everywhere_ ," Henry said, staring around in dismay.

Alina rolled up her sleeves. "Okay. We'll cheat."

"You mean use magic?"

"No, I thought we'd call Mr. Clean," she rolled her eyes.

"Do you know a spell to fix this?" Henry asked doubtfully.

"Sort of," Alina said. Then she flexed her fingers and concentrated.

Purple mist drifted from her fingers, becoming a phantom collection of mops and buckets.

They scurried about the bathroom, scrubbing the bubbles from the floor and vanishing the extra water as they did so.

Regina clapped her hands and threw more bubbles on the floor so the mops could clean it.

"Stop that!" Henry told her.

"Oh, let her. The spell's cleaning it up, so who cares?" Alina said.

"All right!" her nephew said, and then he grabbed a handful of bubbles and smeared them all over Regina's head.

Regina shrieked and threw bubbles at Henry.

They missed him and landed on Alina. She promptly threw bubbles back at Regina.

Faster than a New York minute, there was a full scale bubble war going on, while the mops and buckets relentlessly cleaned up whatever fell on the floor.

Henry and Alina were covered in bubbles and their clothes wet. They were all having a grand old time when they heard Emma say, "Okay, why aren't they done yet? I think something's going on in that bathroom. Hey, guys! Are you all okay?"

"Quick, lock the door!" Henry said.

Alina darted over and locked it, and at the same time she cried, "Yeah, everything's cool, Emma! Regina's just playing for a little bit."

"And so are we," Henry said.

"I'd better get her washed up," Alina said. She found a wash cloth and helped Regina wash herself and her hair.

"Okay, mermaid girl, time to get out and get dressed," she said.

"Aww! But I wanted to play more with bubbles," the child whined.

"We can do that tomorrow. Come on, or else no dessert," Alina told her.

While she dressed the toddler in her nightie and blew dry her wet hair, Henry washed out the tub and made sure all the bubbles were gone. He picked up the empty bottle of bubble bath and threw it out, saying, "What do we tell Snow when she asks where the bubble bath went?"

"Tell her the truth. It went down the drain," Alina said.

Henry laughed, then looked down at himself. "Uh . . . look at our clothes. If they see . . ."

"I know. Give me a sec," she said, then she gestured and Henry's clothes were dry.

"Neat! How'd you do that?"

"Papa taught me."

"Let me try," Henry said, and repeated the gesture, drying off Alina. "So cool!"

Regina went to grab a mop and it vanished. "Aww! Where'd it go?"

"It went back to the kitchen," Alina told her. "Can you keep a secret, Regina?"

The toddler nodded.

"Okay. Then you can't tell anybody we used magic to clean the bathroom," she said.

"Yeah. Otherwise we'll get in trouble because we didn't ask first," Henry said.

"I won't tell!"

"Zip your lips," Henry told her, and mimed zipping his lips closed.

"Lock it up and throw away the key, you ain't getting any secrets out of me," Alina recited, also repeating the gesture.

Regina copied them, then she grinned and said, "Now let's watch TV!"

When Emma checked again some fifteen minutes later, she saw all three kids on the couch, watching The Addams Family and the bathroom was sparkling clean.

"Wow! I guess Snow was right," she muttered and went to get her book from her room and finish the last chapter she was on while everyone else snoozed.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

The next day was a do-nothing day, where they had no plans to go anywhere and spent it sleeping in and just hanging out. Bae and Emma took the kids to Central Park and played a game of catch with them, while Snow and David relaxed in bed, and Belle and Rumple did crosswords and read to each other on the couch while listening to NYC Magic Soft Rock on the radio.

Belle put her head in Rumple's lap and listened to him read aloud from her current novel, his voice so skin-strokingly rich and expressive that she could have listened to him read a phone book all day.

As he read, his fingers tangled lovingly in her hair, playing with her long tresses. He had a hair fetish, and loved playing with her hair. Since this was a day to just indulge oneself, he happily did so, while using a small bit of spellcraft to make the book turn its own pages and float in front of him so he could read without interrupting his curling and carding.

"Rumple, how are you reading to me and combing my hair at the same time?" Belle queried, her eyes half-closed as she relaxed against him and reveled in his touch.

"Oh, you know. A little bit of magic," he answered. His fingers gently rubbed and massaged her scalp.

"Maybe you should have become a masseuse instead of a pawnbroker," she said, giving a happy sigh.

"I'd sure have different clientele," he chuckled.

"On second thought—bad idea. I only want your hands running over me, not strange women."

He laughed huskily. "Then it's a good thing I'm a pawnbroker, dearie."

She caught his hand and brought it to her lips, kissing it. "Mmm . . . you've got the most magical fingers."

"Thank you," he returned. "Now all you need to do is tell me where you want them."

"Well . . ." she gave a naughty smirk, and placed his hand lower down. "How about we start here . . ."

Rumple obeyed, and the rest of the book was forgotten as they shamelessly indulged themselves in another pastime.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

That night was Belle and Rumple's turn to go out to a fancy restaurant and experience New York's fine dining and nightlife. Rumple had chosen Babbo, Mario Batale's signature Italian restaurant, to take Belle to that night. It was said the cuisine there was like nowhere else, and he wanted to give Belle an experience she'd never forget.

That night he wore his signature Armani tux, navy Versace shirt, and gold Ferragamo tie with his black kidskin Gucci loafers. His cufflinks winked in solitary splendor as he fixed his hair and put on some spiced cologne by Ralph Lauren which he knew Belle adored.

Belle dressed in the designer Donna Karan she had purchased in a boutique while walking around with Emma and Snow two days ago, a beautiful turquoise sheath shot through with glittering golden threads, creating a look that was both mysterious and undeniably magical. It had a sweetheart neckline and she had bought matching Gucci gold heels. To it she added a simple silk shawl in soft ivory and her gold and diamond eternity knot pendant. Her hair she left loose and flowing, just the way Rumple liked it.

When her husband caught sight of her as he stepped out of the bathroom, he almost lost the power of speech. He stared in wordless appreciation at his wife, words temporarily deserting him.

Belle stared at him also, drinking in the sight of him like a dying man did water, perusing him with her brilliant blue eyes, and thinking that never had she seen anyone more desirable, from his head to his feet, he exuded a raw elegant sex appeal that rendered her mute.

The two might have remained like that for the rest of the night, but for Henry, who said, "Uh . . . why are you two just staring at each other?"

That broke the spell over them, and Gold said softly, "Shall we, Belle?" and took her arm in his and walked towards the door to the suite.

"Have a good time!" Snow and Charming chorused as the two left.

**Page~*~*~*~*~*~Break**

Fifteen minutes later, their cab pulled up at 110 Waverly Place, and Gold got out, holding the door for Belle as they entered the restaurant. They were ushered to a table by an impeccably dressed elderly Italian waiter wearing traditional white gloves. The restaurant was decorated with cherry Italian furniture and low amber lighting.

Arriving at the table, Belle exclaimed over the lovely centerpiece, a huge bouquet of red velvet, champagne, and peach roses in a Waterford crystal vase with a big gold bow tied around it. "Oh! That's gorgeous, Rumple!"

"It is . . . but it's not from me," he said, and went to see if there was a card beside it.

"Sir, the person who ordered this told me to give you this," his waiter said, and handed Rumple a small card with gold script.

Rumple opened it and inside it read, _Have a lovely evening! Love, Snow and David._ "How very thoughtful of them," he said, and handed Belle the card.

Once they were seated, their server asked what they wanted to drink, then recommended some peach bellinis as a house favorite.

"Can you make them non-alcoholic?" Belle asked. "I'm . . . umm . . . expecting and my husband doesn't drink, so . . ."

"Of course. I'll have my bartender make them up special . . . and they'll taste so good you'll never know what you're missing," the server said and then hurried away.

"This was so sweet of them," Belle said, gesturing at the roses.

"They know me too well," Rumple chuckled. "I think this is a great start to a beautiful evening."

They toasted each other with their virgin bellinis when they arrived, and Belle said, "This is like ambrosia . . . so good! And I can drink it without worrying about hurting the baby."

"Yes, and I can drink it without worrying about the next morning," her husband said with a rueful smirk. "To my beautiful wife, the new little Gold she's carrying, and a bright brilliant future." Then he drank, feeling the bellini slide down his throat in a sweet heady rush.

Belle smiled sultrily at him over the edge of her menu, saying, "Everything looks so good here, I don't know what to choose."

"Why don't you just . . . close your eyes and point to something?" Rumple suggested whimsically.

"You mean leave it up to fate?"

"Might as well, since I'd say fate had a hand in bringing us together," he remarked, his eyes crinkling with love as he gazed at her, more precious to him than all the gold and jewels in the world, a flawless diamond set in turquoise and gold perfection.

She gave him a sweet smile, and then did as he'd suggested, closing her eyes and pointing first to an antipasti, "Mmm! Mussels al la Tarentina" and then the main course. "Spicy Italian sausage romanced by mint love letters and a paste of sweet peas."

"Mint love letters?" Rumple queried. "That sounds almost too interesting to eat. Let's see now . . .I think I'll try the panelle ai funghi for my antipasti."

"What's that?"

"It's chickpea fritters with mushrooms and black garlic vinaigrette."

"Sounds divine. And what are you eating for dinner?"

"Uh . . ." he perused the menu. "I think I'll have the grilled quail with escarole with roasted garlic and shallots and a side of the goat cheese tortelloni dusted with dried fennel pollen, whatever that is."

"Sounds very interesting. I've never had quail before."

"You can have some of mine, if I can have some of yours," he bargained.

"You've got yourself a deal, sweetheart," she said, and sipped her bellini.

They sampled one another's antipasti platters, finding them as delectable as their names, the mussels dripping in a broth of white wine, garlic and butter with spices that nearly made Belle lick the plate, and Rumple's fritters were crispy, mellow, and tangy, with a slightly spicy kick.

"All right, now we need to write down the recipes," Belle said, after eating one last mussel. "So Alice can duplicate them back home."

"You got a pen and paper?"

"Uh . . . no, my purse was too small to fit them," she admitted, indicating the tiny gold evening bag hanging on her chair.

Gold snapped his fingers and a small notepad and pen appeared beside her on the table. "There we go! Now scribble away, dearie."

Belle chuckled at his wit, and began to write down what ingredients she knew were in the antipasti that she could taste and smell. She knew that most dishes were sometimes filled with simple yet tasty ingredients that complimented each other and made the whole thing taste superb.

"I think I've got them all," she said, and absently went and tucked the pen behind her ear.

Rumplestiltskin chuckled. "You still do it."

"Do what?" his wife asked.

"Put a pen or a pencil behind your ear. I remember you doing that when you cleaned and dusted in my castle," he said, his deep brown eyes twinkling.

"So I could write something down if I needed to," Belle laughed. "I know, I probably look ridiculous . . ."

"Ridiculously adorable," he said suavely.

"And you are ridiculously extravagant in your compliments, Mr. Gold," she smirked.

"Nonsense, dearie! Every word I say is the complete and utter truth. Especially where it concerns you."

She gave him a gamin grin. "You always know the right thing to say to make me feel . . . special."

"I hope so. Because you are the most special person in the world to me," he said sincerely. "Along with my children. We're going to have to start picking out names for the baby, you know."

"Shall I start a list?" she queried. "Do you have a favorite one?"

"Well . . .I've always liked the name Dylan for a boy," he said.

"I like that too. Or Alexander. And I think . . . what was your mother's name again?"

"Daria. Why?"

"Because if we end up having a girl, we ought to name her after your mother," Belle stated. "It's only fair, since Alina was named after mine."

"I never thought about it like that before. But yes, if that's what you want."

She nodded, one hand going to her stomach. "Rumple, I'm so excited for this baby. It's so . . . different now than it was when I had Alina. Not that I didn't want her too, but I had my crazy father to deal with, and there were times I was so afraid I wanted to fly into bits and pieces."

He gave her a regretful look. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you, Belle. If I had known . . . I would have moved heaven and earth to come to you . . . and you would never have gotten captured by Regina and become her prisoner for so long. But I was too busy consoling my stupid hurt pride to even consider that you might be . . . carrying my child."

She reached out a hand and clasped his. "Rumple . . . it wasn't your fault. We both lost our tempers that day and said things both of us regret. I never should have left . . . I should have stayed . . . even if you broke every stick of furniture in the place . . . or I should have left my father and come back to you before he ever thought of giving me to Regina . . . there are so many things I should have done, it makes me dizzy thinking about it. So . . . I won't. The past is the past, Rumple. No sense in revisiting it when it's done and over with, love."

"But you lost half your _life_ as her prisoner . . . and you can't ever get that back," he said, his eyes shimmering with myriad emotions.

"I know. I lost you, I lost Alina, and all the time I could have spent with you as a family. And that's the one thing I truly regret. That I missed watching my daughter grow up, missed being there for you and for her. But I'm here now, and I'm going to do my best to not miss another moment of either of your lives, Rumple. If there was one thing I learned in that asylum, it's that when you find something worth fighting for, you never give up. And even though they tried to make me forget, I never could, and I always _always_ knew that I would return to you someday . . . and to her." She rubbed her tummy and said, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears, "But now . . . now I have a chance with this baby to do it all right, the way it should have been with Alina."

"You mean, _we_ have the chance to do it right," Gold corrected. "Not a day went by, Belle, that I didn't think about you, miss you, and I could hardly stand to talk about you at all to Alina. I'm afraid I wasn't very fair to her, because I refused to discuss her mother with her, and thank God she's never resented me for it. But I was afraid I'd fall apart if I did, and the last thing she needed was for her father to become a puddle of salt water."

"Oh, Rumple! I'm sure she would have understood. She has her father's perception."

"And your heart, Belle."

"She has the best of both of us, Rumple. Just like this baby will, when he or she is born. The only difference will be that this little one will have us both from the beginning. I guess we're lucky that our daughter doesn't resent this baby for having what she never did—me."

"Alina doesn't have a resentful bone in her body, Belle. She told me once that having you here was like a miracle, and she would never question why it happened, but just be grateful it did. I think she'll be a great elder sister."

"I think so too. She was already planning how to help me by making a temporary schedule for when the baby comes home," Belle said, wiping the tears away.

"That's my girl," Rumple smiled proudly. "She's always planning. I think she gets that from you."

"No, from you. Don't tell me you didn't plan half your deals out in advance."

"Well, I anticipated a lot of them," he chuckled.

"We need to decide on a theme for the nursery."

"Yes, and pick out some more furniture. And some toys and books."

"Emma said Snow and she were going to have a baby shower for me," Belle told him.

"That's fine, but we're still going shopping together when we get home," he said firmly.

"Okay, sweetheart. We'll do that. You're the only man I know who doesn't feel . . . awkward saying he's going shopping with his wife," Belle said impishly.

Rumple snorted. "There's nothing for me to feel awkward about, Belle. You're having my child and I want to be a part of everything we do for it. From picking out a name to picking out furniture. From fixing up the nursery to going with you to see the doctor. And I could care less what anyone thinks about it . . . except for you."

"I want you there, Rumple. Right up until I put that baby in your arms. Every step of the way."

"Then I'll be there, dearie. With bells on," he added with a roguish grin.

Their dinner arrived, and it surpassed all their expectations. Each of them fed the other from their plates, sighing in rapture over the exquisite tastes they experienced.

When it came time for dessert, Rumple said, "You might want to wait a bit before you order, Belle. Because I have a surprise for you."

He pulled a rather square white box out from his jacket pocket, and enlarged it with a mere flick of a finger. "This is for you. To celebrate the baby and to celebrate our family."

Belle took the box and opened it.

Inside was a book . . . but it was not like any book she'd ever read. For it was made entirely of chocolate, with gilded writing across the cover, surrounded by caramel shavings. In gold frosting letters was written _Once Upon a Time—Our Family._ It had a drawing of a rattle in red gel on it and below it in smaller letters was a heart and the letter R.

"Oh! How did you do this?" Belle gasped in awe.

"I had the confectioners over at FAO Schweetz do it. I just told them what I wanted. It's a chocolate torte made with premium Belgian chocolate and the inside is strawberry mousse. I hope it tastes as good as it looks," said her husband, and he grinned like a child at Christmastime.

"I don't want to eat it!"

"What are you going to do, put it on your bookshelf?" he teased. "For once, my Belle, you can be a real bookworm, and devour a book—literally!"

She started laughing then. "I love you, Rumple!"

Then she picked up a knife and cut into the treat.

Rumple had been right. It _did_ taste as good as it looked. A rich dark chocolate with sinfully sweet strawberry mousse inside, an irresistible combination of dark and light . . . like the man she had married.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

They lingered after dinner at the table, listening to some musicians playing old Italian love songs on the guitar, accordion, and cello, including Bella Notte, which made Belle long to kiss Rumple senseless. It certainly was a beautiful night, and she did have stars in her eyes, from gazing at her beloved sorcerer.

Rumple asked for the check after the song was over, thinking he'd best get back to the Plaza before he forgot his manners and pulled Belle on his lap and practiced some new forms of magic involving his hands, mouth, and another pointed object.

"Sir, your bill has already been paid," said the maitre'd.

"What? How is that possible?" Gold demanded.

"Well, before you arrived here, someone named Bae called here and requested that we use his Visa card and charge whatever you two ordered for dinner to him. He said it was a thank you gift."

"I don't . . .that's just . . ." he stammered.

"You've certainly taught him well," Belle murmured.

Rumple blushed slightly. "I can't take all the credit for that. His adopted parents were good people, from what I understand."

"Like father, like son," Belle chuckled, then she picked up her purse and followed Rumple out the door into the steamy Manhattan night.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

They arrived back at the suite around midnight—the witching hour—as Belle put it, carrying the vase with the roses, which she set down on the kitchen table after they'd come inside.

"I'll show you a witch, dearie!" Gold purred, coming up to her from behind and wrapping his arms about her. He began to playfully kiss the back of her neck, trailing kisses from her jaw down to her collarbone, making her throw her head back onto his shoulder in ecstasy.

"Rumple!" she moaned. "Anyone can see us!"

"They're all asleep . . . but let's go into our room, just in case . . ." he half-growled.

She kicked off her heels, leaving them beside the table, just as he picked her up and walked into their room with her in his arms.

He shoved the door shut with his foot before sitting on the bed with her on his lap. "Now, where were we?" he queried, and picked up where he'd left off.

By the time he'd kissed and caressed her up and down both sides of her neck, she had undid his tie and he shimmied out of his jacket. Clad only in shirtsleeves and trousers, he resumed his seduction, unzipping her gown leisurely.

He carefully slipped it over her head, and she was dressed only in a soft silky slip. "My God, you've got more layers than an onion!" he snickered, his hands everywhere at once, making her burn hotter than a midsummer night bonfire on the beach.

"Shut up, you! I haven't even gotten your shirt off!" she pointed out, her hands going to his collar and beginning to undo the buttons.

"Not my fault!" he declared.

"Why do men's shirts have so many buttons?" she muttered, half-exasperatedly. "What are you hiding?"

"Thought you knew, dearie," he smirked, kissing her hard. "It's something only you can tame, my beauty."

"Rumple, you sexy beast!" she murmured throatily, and shoved him down on the bed.

Several minutes later he was minus his shirt and pants and they were lying on the bed, half-tangled in the sheets, happily celebrating a very passionate end to their beautiful evening.

Gold was kissing Belle's ear, his hands buried in her hair, making her whimper in pleasure when a small voice said from behind him, "Unca Rumple, I'm thirsty and can't open this water."

They both froze.

Belle's eyes widened and she hissed, "Christ, Rumple! Is that-?"

"Aww, hell no!" he gasped, trying to yank the sheet over himself, while slowly turning his head . . .

. . . to see Regina standing there in her Ariel nightgown, holding a bottle of water in her little hand. He hadn't even heard the door open . . . and now there she was.

He tried to clear a throat gone dry with utter mortification. _Crap, how much did she see?_ "Uh . . . umm . . ."

"Unca Rumple, whatcha doin'?"

 _Making whoopie,_ Belle thought, feeling herself blush redder than the roses in the bouquet on the table. _God help us!_

"Playing a game, dearie," Rumple managed to get out, feeling himself turning the color of an apple.

"What kinda game?"

"Err . . . uh . . ." he gestured wordlessly at Belle. _Help me out here!_

"It's called . . . uh . . . the EMT game," Belle said, frantically trying to come up with something. "Uncle Rumple's . . . umm . . . reviving me . . . like they do on the TV . . ."

" . . . when somebody drowns . . ." Rumple added, wondering if it were possible to drop dead of embarrassment. Damn it, where were his cufflinks? "Belle . . . get the sheet . . ."

"I'm trying . . ." she hissed. "Move your . . . leg . . ."

"Unca Rumple . . . the water's stuck . . ."

"Okay, dearie. I need you to . . . go into the kitchen . . . and get a . . . uh . . .can opener . . ."

"Where?"

"Somewhere . . . just . . . get one . . ."

"Okay . . ." they heard her feet padding across the room. "Aren't you coming?" she called, pausing at the threshold.

"Yes . . . I just . . . need to . . . er . . ." _get my damn clothes on . . . please, just get the hell out . . ._ " . . . get on my slippers, so . . . you go get the can opener, dearie . . . hurry up . . ."

"'Kay!" she said brightly, and scurried off into the kitchenette.

Rumple almost collapsed on top of Belle. "Holy f—never mind!" he blurted, and quickly got to his feet, wrapped in the sheet and closed the door.

"Rumple! Did she see . . ."

"I don't know! I didn't even hear the damn door open! Where the hell are my pants?"

"On the floor . . . I think . . ."

He managed to grab a pair of his sweats and a T-shirt, yanking them on, stuffed his feet into his slippers, and then headed out the door, still red as a sunset, after tossing the sheet over Belle. He prayed the little girl wasn't scarred for life. Then again, maybe he shouldn't worry about it, because _he_ was scarred for life just thinking about what she might have seen . . .

"Unca Rumple, I can't find it!" Regina whined.

He found her standing in the kitchenette, holding the bottle of water, before an open cabinet.

"Here, Regina," he said, and took the bottle from her little hands and twisted the cap off.

"Thanks!" she said, drinking eagerly.

"What are you doing up? It's way past your bedtime, dearie," he said, swallowing hard.

"I woke up to go potty and I was thirsty," she said, holding the water in one hand. "An' I couldn't get the water open an' Mommy and Daddy were sleepin', so I came to get you an' saw the light on . . ."

 _Next time I'm locking the damn door!_ "Oh . . . err . . . okay, dearie. Now it's time for all little girls to go to sleep."

He gently took the water bottle from her and put it on the table.

"Roses!" she cried upon seeing the bouquet.

"Yes, you can smell them tomorrow. Now let's go back to bed," he said, picking her up and bringing her back into the room she shared with the Charmings, who were blissfully dreaming and unaware of their daughter's nocturnal ramblings. He carefully tucked her back into bed and whispered, "Goodnight, dearie!" before kissing her on the cheek.

"Night, Unca Rumple!" she lisped, kissing him back. "Sweet dreams!"

Flushing, he closed the door behind him and returned to his own room, locking the door. "Sweet dreams, my ass! Belle . . . you awake . . . Belle . . ."

A dark head poked up from the pillow. "Rumple . . . oh . . . my . . . God!"

"Talk about a surprise ending . . ." he muttered, and climbed back into bed.

"Rumple . . . you left your slippers on."

"Ahh . . . forgot about those . . ."

It was a beautiful night . . . sort of.

 


	18. Another Beauty and the Beast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the Golds go to see the production of Beauty and the Beast on Broadway--and Regina wins a contest to mee the performers . . .along with Belle and Rumple. See what new hijinks occur!

After their interrupted night, Rumplestiltskin and Belle slept in late the next morning, which was fine, since the only thing planned for that day was an afternoon at the theater to see the Broadway version of _Beauty and the Beast_ , and a dinner at Jekyll and Hyde, one of the family friendly restaurants in the area.

The two slept in until nine thirty, not very late for some people, but it was for them, who were used to rising at six thirty. After getting dressed in some rather casual attire, Belle and Rumple made their way into the kitchenette for some coffee, wondering how much Regina would recall of last night . . . and how they were going to explain what had happened to Snow and David.

Rumple decided that conversation would go much easier if he'd had a cup of coffee in him, and that's what they were doing in the kitchenette when the Charmings, Emma, Bae, and the children came in.

As Belle stirred some Splenda into her coffee and sipped it, Snow asked, "So . . . how was last night?"

Belle managed to set her cup down before replying, "Dinner was incredible! Like nothing I've ever tasted before. And thank you so much for the vase with the roses. They're lovely," she gestured to the roses sitting on the table.

"And thank _you_ , Bae, for paying for our dinner," Rumple said to his son.

"We wanted to do something for you since you gave us Dom Perignon on our dinners, and that was the best we could come up with," Baelfire said, smiling.

David poured himself a cup of coffee and noticed the water bottle on the table next to the roses. "Hey, who left this out?"

"Umm . . ." Belle said, flushing.

"It was mine, Daddy," piped up Regina, she was dressed in a cute skirt and top set with pink roses and yellow ruffles on it. "I was thirsty an' you was sleeping, so I had to get Unca Rumple to open it for me."

"Uh, about that, David," Rumple began, looking quite uncomfortable. "You see . . ."

"She was awake when you got home?" Snow asked, surprised. "What time did you get in?"

"After midnight, I think," Belle said.

Snow's eyebrows rose. "But Regina was in bed at eight last night." She looked over at her daughter. "Sweetie, why were you up so late? Did you have a bad dream or something?"

Regina shook her head. "No. I had to go potty an' then I was thirsty an' the light was on in Unca Rumple's room, so I went there an' he was playin' some game with Auntie Belle called EMT's."

Charming gasped, and nearly spit out his coffee all over. "Excuse me?" he stared at his small daughter and then at Belle and Rumple, who looked down at their mugs, flushing.

"What sort of game is that?" Snow asked Regina.

"You know . . . when somebody drowns an' you gotta arrive them, like what Unca Rumple was doin' to Auntie Belle," Regina explained.

"Arrive them?" Snow repeated, then she said, "Baby, you mean _revive_ them, like when an EMT gives someone mouth to mouth . . . oh!" she gasped as it suddenly dawned on her just what sort of game Belle and Rumple had been playing. "You mean she . . . umm . . .?"

"We weren't expecting anyone to be awake," Belle began, her cheeks pinking. "We had the door closed, but—"

"She opened it and came in while we were . . . uh . . . sort of . . . involved," Rumple said, also reddening.

"Oh my God!" Emma gasped. "You mean, it was like that day I came home and you and Dad were . . . uh, resting in the middle of the day so I decided to make tacos with Henry?" She was starting to turn pink too.

"You too?" Rumple stared at Charming and Snow.

"We weren't expecting anybody to come over," David said, looking slightly embarrassed. "You see, Mary Margaret, this is why we need to partition the loft."

"And we need to remember to lock our door at night," Rumple muttered.

"So you don't get any surprise visitors, huh?" Bae pointed out, then he started snickering into his hand.

Rumple glared at his son. "Glad you find this so amusing."

"Sorry, I can't help it. Just imagining it . . ." Bae said, his eyes crinkling with mirth.

Emma frowned and poked her husband in the shoulder. "It's really not funny. Regina might have seen something . . . and been scarred for life . . . it's a good thing she didn't. At least I don't think so."

"Like you were?" Charming teased.

"Dad!" Emma cried.

"Mom, when are we going to eat breakfast?" Henry asked. "I'm starving."

"Me too," added Alina.

"We can go down now," Emma said, anxious to get off this topic of conversation. She herded the children before her out of the suite.

"We're really sorry," Belle said. "We're not used to having little kids around, and Alina knows to knock before she comes into our room, so . . ."

"Hey, it happens and it doesn't look like she saw anything, so . . . let's just think of it as an object lesson," Charming said, then he flushed slightly too. "Uh . . . that didn't come out right, but . . . well, you get the idea."

"So, what's everyone eating for breakfast?" Snow asked brightly. "I think I'm going to have cinnamon pancakes."

"That sausage skillet looked good yesterday, so I think I'll try that," Rumple said.

"I think I'll have the chorizo breakfast burrito," Bae said.

"Isn't chorizo really spicy?" David asked.

"Yup. But don't worry. If I pass out, I'll just have Emma play EMT and revive me," he smirked.

"You're a riot, Baelfire," Rumple grumbled. "And I cannot _wait_ until you have another kid and watch you get driven crazy."

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

They had tickets at The Palace Theater in midtown Manhattan for 6 o'clock for top orchestra seating, the play was being reprised at its original venue with actor Terrance Mann playing his old role at the Beast. The rest of the cast was all new, but it was said they were superb. Everyone dressed in their good clothes, Regina wearing a pretty frock of butter yellow with a pink rose in the middle of it, her hair dressed with a glittery golden headband with small roses on it and black patent leather shoes. She also wore her Disney princess coat and looked adorable.

Snow snapped several pictures of her with each family member before they left for the theater.

They took a limo to the Palace Theater, arriving early so they could get their seats and get settled before the rest of the crowed came pouring in. Regina sat beside Rumple on one side and Snow on the other side, with Charming next to her, and Belle next to Rumple, with Alina and Henry inbetween her and Emma, and Bae on the aisle seat beside her.

Regina had never seen a play before, and kept asking Snow if it was like TV. Snow had never seen one either, and so didn't know what to tell her. Emma had been to a production of West Side Story, however, and knew what to expect, and she told Regina it was like a live TV, with real people who sang and talked right in front of her, as well as a live band that played music.

They were having a drawing for this first opening night, and one lucky child would get to meet Belle and the Beast on stage after the performance, at the last curtain call. Gold promptly bought ten chances for each of the children, which was the maximum per child, at five dollars a ticket. Snow wrote Regina's name and age on each ticket, while Henry and Alina did the same on theirs and handed them into the usher collecting the tickets. The money gathered for them would go to charity, for Columbia Medical Center Children's Ward.

Then it was time for the play to begin, and from the moment the curtain rose on the stage all the Golds and Charmings were riveted to the story unfolding before them. The acting was excellent and the musical numbers wonderful, especially Terrance Mann's singing.

"Look, it's our cup!" Belle exclaimed, when Chip came on stage.

"Yes, only ours wasn't a little boy to begin with, thank goodness," Rumple said. "And I'm glad my curse didn't cause other people to be cursed along with me."

"But this Gaston is still as nasty as the real one," Belle whispered in his ear. "What did happen to him after the curse broke? Do you know?"

Rumple shook his head. "No. I suppose he's somewhere in Storybrooke . . . probably hiding from me. Or perhaps he wasn't taken with the curse and remained behind in our old world. I could really care less where he is . . . unless he tries to make trouble for us."

They thrilled to the couple's eventually understanding of each other and though the story followed the traditional fairy tale as told in this world, it still retained enough of its true flavor and message to make them all smile and gasp at the ending.

Regina grew so excited at the end, where the Beast was dying from a chance stab wound by Gaston's hand, and Belle was beside him, begging him not to leave, saying that she had found her home with him, that she stood up on her seat and yelled, "You gots to _kiss_ him, Belle! True love's kiss breaks all curses!"

Snow quickly whispered, "Regina, sit down, and just watch the play, honey."

"But Mommy, she's gots to kiss him to break the spell!" Regina insisted.

Rumple gently put an arm around her and said, "Not everybody knows that, little imp. Now sit down, okay, dearie?"

Regina sat down, and clapped when the Beast's spell was broken by Belle's love for him, and he became a man once more.

Then she turned to Rumple and said, "But they did it wrong, Unca Rumple. She shoulda kissed him. _That's_ the right way to break a curse."

He chuckled at her authoritative tone. "Regina, this is just a story and they do things differently here. It's not real."

The curtain came down and the cast came out and bowed to the audience, who gave them all a standing ovation and clapped wildly. Roses were thrown onstage and the cast picked them up and vanished behind the curtain, only to reappear again when people screamed "Encore!"

Then most of the actors went backstage, leaving Belle and the Beast, now in his human form, and an announcer said they had drawn the winning ticket for the lottery.

"And tonight's lucky winner is . . . a little lady from out of town. Miss Regina Nolan from Maine, please come up here and shake hands with Belle and the Beast!"

Snow gasped. "Regina . . . you won!"

"I did?" the little girl cried. "I can say hi to the storybook Belle and the Beast?"

"You sure can, baby," David grinned, proud as punch. He started to stand up, then had a better idea, and turned to Rumple and Belle. "Go with her, Rumple. You too, Belle. It's only right that you have the chance to meet your counterparts in this world . . . even if they're only actors."

"But David . . . _you're_ her father," Rumple protested. "You should go."

"Nope, old pal. I want you to. Now go on, before they think we've left or something."

"Are you sure, Snow?" asked Belle.

"Yes, David's right. Now go! Hurry up," she urged, grinning.

So Regina, Belle, and Rumple made their way down the steps to the stage and were shown how to get onto it by an usher.

Regina kept hold of Rumple and Belle's hands when she reached the stage, suddenly shy and needing the comfort of their presence as she stared at the actors in trepidation. She looked up at her aunt and uncle nervously.

Belle squeezed her hand and whispered, "Don't be afraid, Regina. Nobody will hurt you here. Not with me and Uncle Rumple by you. They just want to say hello to you."

Belle's words restored the child's normal self-confidence and curiosity, and she was no longer shy so long as she had her family standing behind her. She pulled free of Rumple's and Belle's grip and walked forward towards the actors standing there, her head high.

As she reached the storybook Belle, the actress knelt and held out a hand to her, smiling. "Hi, sweetie! I'm Belle, it's so nice to meet you."

Regina smiled back. She took storybook Belle's hand in her own and said, "Hi! I'm Regina."

The Beast knelt too so he could greet her. "Hello, little lady. I'm the Beast, how do you do?"

She shook his hand also. "Fine, thank you," Then she asked softly, "What's your real name? You're not the Beast anymore, so what's your name?"

The actor coughed. "Err . . . well . . ." The truth was the old tale never really said what the prince's name had been before he was cursed. But being a true thespian, he quickly found an answer for her. "My real name's Terrance. But you can call me Terry."

"Hi, Terry," Regina said.

"How old are you, Regina?" Belle asked then.

"I'm three," she said, and held up three fingers to emphasize the fact.

"Three years old! Wow! You're practically a grown-up," Belle laughed.

Regina beamed. "I know."

Terry chuckled. "And you come from Maine, right?"

"Uh huh. We're visiting here on vacation," Regina told him.

"So this is your first trip to Manhattan?" he asked. "Are you here with your mom and dad?"

"Yes, and my aunt and uncle, and my big sister and cousins," Regina said.

"Oh, so it's a family thing?" he asked. Then he looked over at Belle and Rumple, and beckoned them over. He introduced himself and shook Rumple's hand. "Are you her dad?"

"No, I'm her uncle," Rumple answered. "Name's Gold, pleased to meet you."

"He's Unca Rumple," Regina put in. "He's a wizard."

"Uh . . . she means I'm a financial wizard," Rumple said, smiling indulgently at his niece.

"Oh, I see," Terry said. "Rumple?"

"It's a nickname," Belle explained.

"Short for Rumplestiltskin," Regina said, rolling her r's like her uncle sometimes did.

"You know, like the fairy tale, because of my last name," Rumple said quickly. "It's a kind of family joke."

The two actors smiled. "I like that!" said Terry appreciatively.

"And this's my Auntie Belle," Regina introduced Belle to her counterpart.

"Really?" said the actress.

"Yes, that's my real name. Belle Gold," Belle said, and then she reached out and shook her storybook counterpart's hand.

Meanwhile, the rest of the family was gathered close to the stage, snapping pictures like crazy, and grinning like fools, sort of like a van of foreign tourists.

"That's so amazing," said storybook Belle. "It's almost like fate that we met."

"Quite, dearie," Rumple smiled, and shook her hand as well. "I believe there are no coincidences."

"Your niece is absolutely adorable," storybook Belle cooed. "She must be the apple of your eye."

"She is," Belle said, putting her hand on Regina's shoulder. "You gave an incredible performance tonight. I really enjoyed it."

The actress flushed slightly. "Thanks so much. Glad you liked it." She turned to Regina. "What was your favorite part, sweetie?"

"Um . . . when you broke the spell over the Beast and turned him back into Terry," she replied. "But, Belle, you was supposed to kiss him."

"I was? Why?"

"Because True Love breaks all curses," Regina informed her.

The actress looked startled. "And how do you know that?"

"It's in the fairy tale book Henry has," Regina answered.

"Henry's her cousin," Belle said quickly. "He reads this fairy tale book to her. It's like a retelling of the Brothers Grimm."

"And the book says true love's kiss breaks all curses," Regina repeated.

The actress looked at her partner and said, "You know, I like that solution. I like it better than the one written in the script."

"You know . . . so do I," mused Terry. "Maybe we ought to suggest it as an alternative to the producer?"

"It's a universal concept in the book," Rumple said, fighting back a smirk. Trust Regina to point that out! She had learned her lessons well, he thought proudly.

"It's a good one," said Terry. "Thank you for telling me, Regina. You're a smart kid."

"Like Unca Rumple and Auntie Belle," she said proudly. "They're the smartest people I know."

"Aww! How sweet!" storybooke Belle cried. "She's a real charmer, isn't she?"

"Takes after her father," Rumple said.

"Come over here, Regina," said the Beast. "You too, Belle and Rumple. We're going to take a picture with you."

Regina walked fearlessly up to him. "You gonna pick me up?"

"Uh, sure," the Beast said, and then he gently lifted her in his arms.

Storybook Belle came to stand next to him, with actual Belle on her other side, and Rumple next to the Beast.

"Say cheese!" storybook Belle said, and they all smiled for the camera over on stage left.

Several clicks were heard as the professionals took shots of them all . . . and so did the Charmings and Golds on their phones.

 _Now there's a photo to remember,_ David thought as he snapped a picture. _The real Beauty and the Beast and the former Evil Queen meet this world's Beauty and the Beast. How brilliantly ironic. If only they knew!_

The Beast and storybook Belle, whose real name was Annie Sefton, gave Regina a pretty light up toy rose, just like the enchanted one in the play, and also autographed their playbills and the photo of her, Rumple, Belle, and themselves.

Then they waved goodbye to Regina and her family, and bowed to them before exiting stage right.

Rumple picked up Regina just as an usher appeared and escorted them off stage, to where their family waited to congratulate them.

Snow held out her arms and Rumple handed Regina to her. "How'd you like meeting Beauty and the Beast, Regina?"

"It was nice, and Mommy, the Beast's real name is Terry," Regina told her. "But Unca Rumple and Auntie Belle are smarter than those pretend people."

"They are?" her mother asked, smiling.

"Uh huh. Because they know true love breaks all curses. I thought everybody knew that!" her precocious daughter declared.

"Not everybody, sweetheart," Snow chuckled. "But I'm glad you had fun. Now let's go hail a cab and go to Jekyll and Hyde restaurant. I'm starving."

As they made their way out of the Palace theater, David asked Rumple, "So did you enjoy your fifteen minutes of fame, buddy?"

"Fame's overrated, Charming. Thought you knew that," Rumple remarked, his brown eyes twinkling.

"I do. But I got some nice pictures."

"Oh, joy," Rumple rolled his eyes.

 


	19. The Witches of Little Italy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Golds meet another magical family--the witches of Little Italy!

The family had a good time at Jekyll and Hyde, though Regina was a little creeped out by some of the décor and spent some time huddled in Charming's lap until she asked Rumple to cast a spell on her to protect her from all the monsters, and her sorcerer uncle pretended to do so to make her feel better, and then she was okay. She went with Alina and Henry to see the talking wolf's head on the wall, and giggled when it snorted at her and said ridiculous things.

And during the show, when they had Jekyll raise a man from the dead, she wasn't scared at all, but yelling, "Hey, mister! You can't do that! Magic can do much, but not that! Dead is dead, don'tcha know that!"

Emma almost fell off her chair from laughing. "Gold, she's quoting _you_ now! It's freaking hilarious!"

"It's mini me Rumple, Mom!" Henry said, then he started laughing too.

"Or Rumple Says," Alina added, giggling.

"This is the funniest trip I've ever been on," Emma declared, wiping her eyes with a napkin as David and Snow tried to calm the toddler down.

"I don't know whether to be flattered or bang my head into a wall," Rumple admitted to Belle.

"You could do both," she suggested impishly.

"I love you too, dearie," he muttered, rolling his eyes.

"They say imitation's the sincerest form of flattery, Papa," his son reminded him.

Rumple arched an eyebrow then and said, "Really, son? Was that why I caught you trying on a pair of my leather pants that day and borrowing one of my vests too? So you could flatter that pretty girl who lived down the road from us . . . what was her name again? Morraine?"

"Papa!" Bae gasped, turning red. "I can't believe you remember _that_!"

"Don't you know, Bae? Parents always remember the most embarrassing things about you," David snickered. "My mother did. I was just lucky she never talked to Snow long enough to repeat half of them."

"You sure about that, David?" Snow teased. "There was the one time when you ran out of the house in your underwear . . ."

David hid his face in his hand. "Mary Margaret! I thought a wolf was after my lambs and I didn't want to let it get away."

"I'm sure the wolf was terrified of you appearing in your underwear, dearie," Rumple said, smirking.

"You shut up!" cried David, then he started to laugh too.

"Thank God they didn't know me when I was growing up," Emma muttered to Belle. "I'd never live down some of the dumb things I've done."

"Alina, remember the candle making incident?" Henry poked his aunt and winked at her.

"Oh please, not the 911 story again!" she groaned.

"What story's this?" Belle asked, curious.

Alina shot Henry a dirty look. "You just had to bring it up, didn't you?"

"Because it was one of the few times you did something dumb."

"Yeah and you were Mr. Brilliant, right?" she snorted.

"What happened?" asked Regina.

"We were making candles from this kit Grace bought Alina for Halloween," Henry explained. "In Grandpa's kitchen. And it didn't tell you in the kit to watch out because you could overheat the wax and it could catch on fire."

"And we were stirring it in this big stainless steel pot on the stove and all of a sudden it caught on fire," Alina said.

"My God, you were a pyro too?" Bae chuckled.

Alina stared at him. "What do you mean, Bae?"

"Uh, I set the forest on fire when I was eight," he admitted.

"Wow, Dad! And I was like, we'd better call 911, we were like uh . . . nine," Henry recalled.

"Where was Alice?" Belle asked.

"Shopping," Alina answered. "And Papa was working. So . . . Henry's dialing the police and I try to put out the fire with a pot lid . . . and it gets too hot and I burn myself and meanwhile Henry's screaming into the phone the candles are burning and the kitchen's on fire!"

"And the idiot taking my call asks my name and I say it's Henry Mills and she yells, oh God, the mayor's house is on fire and then hangs up before I can tell her she's wrong," Henry continued.

"So I grab a towel and try to beat out the flames and then _it_ catches on fire," Alina sighed. "And Henry calls back and starts yelling, "It's not the mayor's who's on fire, it's Mr. Gold's! And again the dispatcher hangs up and sends the fire department over to Papa's shop."

"By the time we got it all straightened out, my house should have burnt down," Rumple said. "But luckily Alice got home before then and put out the fire." He shook his head. "I really don't know why all my kids are in trouble with fire. It's not like I didn't teach them not to play with matches."

"Rumple, we're hiding all the matches, candles, and lighters before the baby's born," Belle told him. "Just in case."

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

The next day they had planned a trip to Little Italy to taste some different authentic New York pizza and go to Ferrara's pastry shop for cannolis, Napoleons, tiramisu, and other Italian goodies. In order to not be so touristy, most of the family wore casual attire, jeans and T-shirts, though Regina insisted on wearing her Statue of Liberty crown and carrying her light up torch with her. Gold was wearing his usual Armani/Gucci ensemble, and looked like a rich fashion designer.

"Or a Mafia don," Bae remarked irreverently, and Rumple promptly whacked him on the back of the head. "Hey!"

"Show some respect," Rumple said, shaking a finger at him.

Bae promptly glared at him. "I'm twenty-nine, not fourteen."

"And you've got the same smart mouth now as you did then," his father pointed out.

"Some things never change," Alina pointed out, then she ducked as Bae snapped a dish towel at her.

"Children behave," Belle intoned. "Before you give your papa a coronary."

"Yes, Mama," they chorused, then they looked at each other and groaned.

Suddenly Regina ran into the kitchen, waving her torch about like it was a wand and thrusting it into Rumple's middle and yelling, "Shazam! Immobulus! You're under arrested!"

Rumple stared down at her. "Who are you? A cop like Emma or a witch like Hermione?"

"I'm a witch cop, Unca Rumple! And you're my prisoner," Regina said, poking him again with the torch.

"Really, dearie? And do you know how to hold a magical prisoner?" he smirked.

"With magic. Duh!"

"Forget I asked," Rumple groaned. "Okay, you can read me my rights, scamp."

"You've got the right to remain silent," Regina recited. "Anything you say will be used 'gainst you in court . . . what's court Unca Rumple?"

"It's where criminals are judged and sentenced. You can ask Emma about it, she's been in court a lot." Rumple told her.

"Okay. Uh . . . you have the right to a torney an' if you don't have one, one's given to you," she continued.

David stared at his daughter. "How's she know all this?"

"She watches Law and Order and K9 Cops with Emma," Snow replied. "And last month she wanted to be a sheriff."

"That's incredible!" David said. " _I_ don't even know my Miranda rights."

"Just get arrested," Snow replied blithely. "You'll learn them."

"Or you could come over our apartment when the next Law and Order marathon's on cable," Bae offered. "Emma's like glued to the TV. It's like she's obsessed."

"Be quiet, Baelfire," Emma ordered. "Before _I_ whack you in the back of the head."

"Yes, dear," he said, pretending meekness. Then he grabbed her and kissed her. When he released her, he winked at Snow and said, "Learned how to distract her a long time ago. Works like a charm."

Then he yelped as Emma whacked him on the back of the head.

"Uh . . . except when it doesn't," he amended.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

The Golds strolled down the sidewalk of Little Italy, enjoying the mild weather and the colorful signs advertising everything from purses to the best shoes and authentic Italian cooking. There were booths that sold imported pasta, spices, and beautiful shawls and statues of saints. The air was redolent with the smells of marinara sauce, parmesan cheese, meatballs, sausage, and fried zeppoli. Some vendors sold torrone, an Italian candy made of nougat and nuts, and Bacci, a chocolate hazelnut confection, which was a favorite of Gold and Belle's.

There was one vendor selling Italian soda and Pelligrino water, and another selling Amaretto, Sambucca, and limoncello.

They passed several little cafes and restaurants serving coffee and biscotti, pizza, and homemade specialties like chicken parmesan, ravioli, fried eggpant, lasagna, and freshly baked bread.

The fantastic smells coming from all over made Emma drool as they walked down the street, and she was sure she put on a pound just _sniffing_ the air, it smelled so darn good!

They passed a small shop that sold handmade signs, some in Italian, some in English, all beautifully carved and painted. Belle saw one that caught her eye and said, "Rumple, we need to get this." She picked up a sign that looked like it was made of ancient marble with a picture of grapes and vines on it. It said La Vita `e Bella, which translated into English meant _A Beautiful Life_. "Do you know what this means?" she asked her husband.

"Yes, I do. It's one of the few phrases I do know."

"Besides do we have a deal?" Charming remarked.

Gold rolled his eyes. "Okay, dearie. Buy it. We'll put it up on the doorway before the nursery."

So Belle bought the sign and the little Italian vendor beamed and wrapped it for her, also giving her some fresh figs as a thank you for patronizing his establishment. Belle shared the unexpected bounty with the children and Rumple, who loved the sweet black fruit.

They passed a large stretch of grass, rather like a park, where some kids were playing baseball. Henry and Alina paused to watch, and all of a sudden the batter, a dark-haired boy wearing Yankees ball cap, hit a flyball and it went wild, soaring right at Henry.

Before anyone could do anything, a small girl with dark hair and eyes wearing a blue cap with wings painted on it darted in front of him, jumping up to snatch the ball right out of the air with her mitt.

As she did so, Henry gasped, because he had felt the familiar tingle of magic. And it was coming from the girl standing before him.

The girl landed on the ground, tossed the ball back to the pitcher and yelled something in Italian at the batter, then turned to Henry, and said, "Hi! Sorry about my stupid cousin, he still doesn't know how to hit right. My name's Angel Tessaro." She held out a hand to shake.

Henry took it, and felt the familiar thrum of another magic wielder. His eyes widened. "I'm Henry Gold."

The girl looked startled, then she dropped his hand and said, "Nice to meet you, Henry. And you are?"

"Alina Gold. I'm technically his aunt, because he's my older brother's son," Alina said, also sensing the other's aura.

Angel didn't seem surprised by that. "Happens a lot around here. We have big families. With . . . unusual gifts."

One of the other players yelled at her in Italian. "Gotta go, I'm third base. Want to play with us?"

"Umm . . . maybe later," Henry said, noting she looked to be around ten or eleven. "My family came here to shop and eat some real Italian food."

"I didn't think you were from around here," Angel said. "Where do you come from?"

"Storybrooke, Maine," Alina answered.

"Oh. That's a long way from here." The girl looked thoughtful. "You know what? My grandma's restaurant is just down past here, on the right. It's called Strega Nonna's Ristorante. Go inside and tell Teresa, she's the hostess and my big sister, that Angel sent you, she'll give you the special table in the back. There's no finer restaurant in all of Little Italy, you won't be disappointed."

She tugged her ball cap down again and said, "Arrivaderci!" Then she ran back into the field, her long hair bouncing down the back of her red T-shirt.

"Hey, tiger," Bae said, coming up to them. "What was that all about? You making friends with that sweet little girl?"

Henry blushed. "No, Dad! It's not like that! She . . . saved me from a fly ball and she wants us to try her grandma's restaurant. Her name's Angel Tessaro and the name of her family's restaurant is Strega Nonna's. She said to go and tell some girl named Teresa inside that she sent us and we'll get us a special table or something."

"Maybe we'll get a special discount too," Bae mused. Then he turned to tell the others.

Once he had left, Henry hissed to Alina, "Hey, did you notice her aura?"

"Yeah. She's a sorceress, like us. I felt it the moment we shook hands," Alina said.

"I think it's pretty amazing, finding new magic wielders here," Henry said.

"Well, Papa did say magic's awakened again in this world," Alina recalled. "And since this world really did have magic before we came to it, it makes sense there'd be magicians in it."

"Should we tell Grandpa?" Henry asked.

"Yes, just not out here. I'm willing to bet even here they're not really open about what they can do."

They went back to where their family was, and started walking down towards the restaurant Angel had directed them to.

Strega Nonna's was a long low brick building with a sign with letters in red, white, and green, the traditional colors of the Italian flag. In the window was a pasta bowl with some fake spaghetti in it and some authentic looking china and on the window itself was etched an old woman with a spoon stirring a cauldron.

The most amazing smells were coming out from beneath the wooden door.

As they walked towards the door, Gold stiffened, sensing the familiar tang of magic. He scanned the building with his Sorcerer's Sight, and saw the faint aura of a protection spell about it.

"Papa, do you feel that?" queried Alina.

"Yes, dearie. This place is warded by pretty strong magic," he replied.

They entered the restaurant and Bae walked up to the pretty hostess standing behind her wooden desk with a paper and a pen, smiling at him. She looked to be about eighteen. Her name tag said Teresa. "Hi. You're Teresa right? My family and I were told to come here by your little sister, Angel. There's nine of us."

"Nine. An auspicious number. Angel sent you?" Teresa said, her eyes suddenly running over the group of Golds. They widened suddenly as they came to rest upon Rumple, Alina, Emma, and Henry. "Okay. Welcome to Strega Nonna's. Come this way please."

She led them through the restaurant, which was bustling with customers sitting at the bar and long low tables with red checkered table cloths on them. Pictures of beautiful landscapes and the ocean hung on the wall amid postcards and Italian signs. Teresa walked purposefully towards a long table in the back which could easily seat them. It was near a fireplace that was cold, since this was still summer.

As they were seated, Teresa said, "I'll send Carmella around to take your order. Maybe we'll start with some drinks. May I recommend the house sangria. It's an old recipe of my grandmother's."

"We'll take a pitcher," Emma told her, wondering why her magic sense was buzzing like mad.

"Coming right up," Teresa said, smiling. Then she left.

"Okay, why do I sense magic?" Emma asked, puzzled.

"Because this establishment is warded with it." Rumple answered. "And that young lady we just spoke with is a magician."

"So's Angel," murmured Henry.

A bouncy girl wearing a green apron with a nametag that read Carmella came up to them and took their order for drinks.

"Is she magical?" asked Snow.

"No, dearie," Rumple shook his head. "But there are others here who definitely are."

Carmella returned with their drinks, and Bae poured sangria for everyone, even Henry and Alina got a little taste.

"Not only that, but this place is warded," Rumple whispered. "And the name of this place . . . in Italian, a witch is called _strega_."

"Very clever, sonny!" cackled a wizened old lady, making them all jump. She was small, about the size of a half-grown child, with sparse wisps of graying hair escaping from her bun. She wore a black dress and eyed them all knowingly.

"I'm Strega Nonna. And since you know what that means, you know as well who we are."

Snow looked confused. "What are you?"

Strega Nonna smiled. "Why we're witches, cara mia." Then she waved a hand and suddenly a silvery curtain appeared around them. "That's better. Now we can talk in peace." She looked straight at Rumple. "I've never met anyone as strong as you are. What's your name, sonny?"

"I'm Rumple Gold, dearie."

"That's not your true name, anymore than mine is . . . well in a literal sense," she mused. "What brings you to New York?"

"Just a vacation," he replied.

"I see. But sometimes, Signori Gold, vacations aren't always what they seem," she said mysteriously. "My granddaughter sent you here, knowing you were of our kind, and wanting to offer our hospitality to you as a fellow practitioner." She smiled again, revealing slightly crooked teeth. "It's lucky she caught you when she did, for you were heading into Fabrizio's territory and that's not a good man to dicker with, he's a dark warlock. But I'll explain everything when my granddaughter Maria returns with your appetizers. I hope you like fried calamari and stories."


	20. An Italian Tale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The family learns about the Tessaros and their arch enemies and make new allies . . but then are challenged by the Fabrizios as they try and leave Little Italy !

Strega Nonna's granddaughter, Maria, a small young woman of about seventeen with her dark hair cut in a short bob and lively green eyes, returned with a tray piled high with appetizers. She was dressed in black pants and a white shirt with a green apron over it that said _Strega Nonna's_.

"Whoa! We didn't order any of this," David gaped at her.

"It's on the house," Maria said, smiling at the handsome prince. "Nonna told me you get the special appetizer plate, and this is it." She began to set down the dishes.

There was fried calamari with homemade marinara sauce for dipping, mozzarella sticks, garlic bread with cheese and bruschetta, small meatballs with three different kinds of sauces, fried ravioli, and sausage and broccoli rabe bites.

"Um . . . how did you know to bring this?" Snow asked, puzzled.

"Nonna sent the request to me," Maria replied. "I'm a 'path. Short for telepath."

"You can read minds?" Emma's jaw dropped.

"Um . . . sort of. But it's bad manners to snoop about in other people's heads," Maria answered. "I'd never do that . . . unless you were withholding information from my family that we needed. Or a matter of life and death. Most times I have to keep my mindshields up so I _don't_ hear people thinking. 'Paths have gone nuts before by hearing too many thoughts at once. We learn how to shield before we learn anything else . . . and when we're too young to do that, one of the family does it for us. Like Nonna."

"You're a 'path too?" Bae asked Nonna.

"In a way. But my mind links only extend to my family," Nonna replied. "So I know exactly when and where they are, if something happens. But Maria is the strongest 'path we've had in generations. She can hear me clear across the city, and reply back too. She's also a fair enchantress."

The kids were already reaching for some of the appetizers. Nonna smiled at them and said, "Mangia! Mangia! I talk, you eat. Otherwise you insult the food . . . and the chef."

Maria chuckled. "And she made half of this, so you really don't want to do that," she introduced herself to the Golds, and Rumple introduced them all to her and Nonna. "It was nice meeting you all, but I've got two tables waiting, so see ya around."

Belle paused in eating some fried ravioli and meatballs. "This is amazing! You made this?"

" _Si,_ Bella. _Mi famiglia's_ talents run to cooking and sorcery. An odd mix, no?" Nonna smirked, her dark eyes twinkling. "But such is life. Let me tell you a story, the story of the Tessaros. Back in the old country, down in Calabria and Sicily, the Tessaros and their cousins were known for three things. One, their recipes and cooking, two, their fabrics, and three, their ability to use magic. Tessaro in Italian means weaver, and for time out of mind, we wove everything from cloth to grass to magic. Those of you who have the Gift will note the protections over my ristorante. They are woven, like yarn, right over this establishment," she gestured, and a glowing weaving of light appeared in the air. Quick as lightning, her old fingers wove another row of light beside it, creating a rectangle. "Strand by strand, the pattern is formed."

"Pretty!" Regina cried, and reached out to touch the glowing weaving.

"No, Regina," Rumple said, and grabbed her hand before she could interfere with the witch's casting. "Look with your eyes, not with your hands."

Nonna smiled at her. "It's all right, Signori Gold. The _bambina_ can touch it, she won't hurt it. Such a pretty little girl! _Molta bella, eh?_ "

"Okay, Regina. But don't grab it," Rumple said.

Regina gently touched the glowing construct. "It tickles, Unca Rumple!" she giggled. "Like butterfly wings."

Nonna looked at the child knowingly. "Ah, a Sensitive. She doesn't have the Gift, but she can sense magic. But her children will inherit the  
power. Now, to finish my story. As I said, my family was known for our witchery long ago . . . though most in our line were female, for some reason the magic ran to females, though we had a few strong warlocks as well, though not very many. The locals came to us for spells of good fortune and luck, for predictions of children and those they might marry, and for protection against the evil eye, and potions for infertility and healing. As well as for our shawls and dresses and shirts and pants. And for our spaghetti and meatballs and ravioli, pizza, lasagna, ricotta and sausage. We were known for that as much as our ability to cast spells."

As she talked, the Golds ate the appetizers that had been provided. Everything was authentic and tasted divine. Emma swore the mozzarella sticks melted in her mouth, and Rumple claimed the calamari was the best he had tasted. Bae ate the sausage and broccoli rabe and said it was so good he could eat another helping.

Nonna snapped her fingers, and soon Maria appeared with another dish of it, setting it down right in front of him.

Bae looked at her and said, "Uh . . . I was kidding . . . I really shouldn't . . ."

Nonna eyed him sharply. "Mangia, boy! Your stomach never lies and deserves to be filled with good food. Just wait till you taste my eggplant parmigiana."

"Okay, you just twisted my arm," Bae chuckled, and picked up his fork and ate some more. "God, this is incredible!"

Nonna grinned. "Well, there was another familiglia in the area, named Fabrizio, and they were known as well for their magic . . . only their brand was all curses and death. They dealt freely with _il diavolo_ , and they hated the Tessaros like the plague, for we stood against them and their goals of dominating the whole of Sicilly and Calabria. They took my great-great grandmother, Josephine, and sacrificed her on the dark of the moon, before we knew what they were about. They tried to use her death in one of their blood rituals, but even as she breathed her last, she called down upon them a ve _ndetta—a blood feud._ She cursed them to always want what they couldn't have, and never be satisfied, and never to know peace except that of the grave. Donato Fabrizio sought to avert her death curse, but he failed. And so, from that day till this, his family and mine have been mortal enemies. We have fought many many times over the years . . . even here in America, when they followed us to these new shores . . . and always we have tried our best to warn and help any practitioners of magic we could find that were visiting here . . . before Fabrizio and his Mafioso gumbahs got to them. Like we did with you."

"We appreciate your assistance, dearie," Rumple said, eating some bread with bruschetta. "I know a thing or two about vendettas, and they can be nasty. We'd rather avoid trouble if possible . . . though we can send it packing if need be."

Strega Nonna nodded. "I know . . . as I said, you are the strongest magic user I've ever sensed. And I've known plenty, sonny, since I'm over three hundred years old."

Snow gasped. "Why you're older than Rumple!"

"Good genes, Snow," the elderly witch replied.

"Do all your family have magic?" Henry wanted to know.

"Not all, but about half do. Most of my grandchildren have some form of it. You've met Angel . . . she's a Windmaster, can cast any spell having to do with air or wind, and is immune to cold and frost and lightning. She can fly too . . . with the help of her baseball cap. Her little brother Stefan has the gift too . . . he's an Earthmaster. Everything grows like crazy around him. Then there's Teresa, my Healer, and her cousin Luca, who is great with transformation spells. His sister's Maria, whom you've met. My two daughters, Analisa and Eva, also have the Gift and can predict the weather as well as the future on occasion."

"I have a little sister who's a Seer," Rumple told her. "And my daughter, grandson, and daughter-in-law have magic as well. And so does my niece."

"Magic runs in families," Nonna said.

"I'm a spinner as well, dearie. And once upon a time I used to make clothes," Rumple told her.

"Ah . . . I knew there was a reason you were placed in our path," Nonna said. "Fate shall always conspire with like minds." She nodded at his suit. "You have good taste in clothes, Rumple. As it should be."

"Tell me something, Nonna," Rumple said. "Have you noticed any . . . changes in the magical web recently?"

"Indeed. Magic is an unending spiral, it goes up and down, and always returns," she intoned. "Before now, magic was in a low period, and not many practitioners used their craft, nor did people believe in it. But now the spiral had come round, and magic is awakening again across the land. Even here, in the city that never sleeps."

"When we went to visit the Statue of Liberty, I noticed something," Rumple said. "I felt . . . magic in the stones . . . an old spell . . ."

"Yes, Rumple. Magic was done there, long ago, when the base of statue was built. We who live here in New York know the story of the young immigrant Gianni Zagari, a stonemason by trade, commissioned to build the pedestal with dozens of other stone workers. Unknown to himself, he had the Gift of Stoneshaping, and his Talent expressed itself in the stone he quarried and carved for the pedestal. He believed wholeheartedly in America and this dream of justice and liberty for all, and what a magician believes often transmutes itself to a magical spell. Such was the case with Gianni. He enchanted everything he carved and the magic is still within the stone today. It is said that so long as Americans remain true to the ideals the statue embodies, so long shall she stand as a symbol of Light and Freedom. But if Americans no longer believe, and scorn the ideals she was founded upon, then she shall crumble to dust."

"It's like an urban legend," Alina said excitedly. "Like alligators in the sewer, Papa."

"Ah, be careful, _cara_. There _are_ alligators in the sewer . . . as well as other monsters down in the depths," Nonna warned. "Many dark wizards have gotten rid of failed experiments and such by throwing them down there . . . and their dark workings have mingled with the scum and dirt of Manhattan and created horrors. Sometimes a few of more adventurous young folk go down there, into the concrete jungle, to pit themselves against those monsters. There are tales of fabulous treasure hordes down there . . . if one can get past the beasts that guard them . . . and more than a few have lost their lives trying to see if those legends were real. The magic is not kind to fools and the mistakes of many apprentices flourish down there in the darkness."

"How do you prevent these monsters from coming out?" David wanted to know.

"Most prefer the dark and cold, but those who would seek human prey we ward against," the ancient witch said softly. "If you look closely next time you go past a manhole cover, you'll see runes etched there . . . runes that prevent the monsters who crave human flesh from coming out of the sewers. They were put there by many magic wielders when the city was first built . . . for sorcery has always flourished here . . . unlike in Salem and other parts of the world. It's why my family and I chose to settle here."

"I saw a mermaid in the water," Regina declared suddenly.

"Did you now, _faccia bella_?" Nonna crooned. "In the harbor?"

"We all did . . . all those who are magicians in my family," Rumple clarified. "She was veiled, but we saw her."

"They always are, these days," Nonna said. "Fewer and fewer magical species reveal themselve _s_ these days, unlike centuries ago, when even ordinary people could catch a glimpse of a mermaid upon a rock, singing. Or see a phoenix in the desert or a fairy in the garden. As magic waned, so did those who lived by magic's law. But now that magic flourishes, you'll see more creatures like the mermaid . . . if you keep your eyes open."

Seeing that they had finished the appetizers, Nonna called Maria and Teresa to take their orders for their main meal. Dessert, she said, was also on the house.

"Please, you don't have to," Gold began.

"You are a guest in my home, Signori Gold. And we Tessaros always show hospitality to a guest," Nonna told him firmly.

"Then I thank you, and if you ever chance to come up to Maine, I'll repay the favor," Rumple promised.

"If that ever happens, I shall remember your offer," Nonna smiled. "And now, Mangia!"

The Golds didn't need to be told twice. They all ate heartily of the dishes they had ordered, and all of them were fantastic. Dessert was cannolis, tiramisu, and zeppoli, with espresso and cappuccino.

Just as they were sipping their coffee, Nonna's younger grandchildren came in. She introduced them to the Golds. Angel, who had already met Henry and Alina, her eight-year-old brother, Stefan, and their cousin Luca, who was sixteen, all handsome dark-haired children with olive toned skin and lively smiles.

Angel perched on a stool next to Henry and nibbled on cannoli, while asking Henry if he thought the Yankees were going to win the Series this year.

Henry told her it could happen, as they had a lot of good players, then said, "You've got a great catch."

Angel shrugged. "I knew Luigi was going to hit a flyball, he usually does, so I was ready for it. But I've a better fastball. Usually I pitch."

"I used to play first base, and Alina was catcher, and third," Henry said.

Stefan was sitting next to Regina, and he pulled out some small seeds from a pocket, and said, "Want to see something cool?"

Regina nodded. "Like what?"

"This," Stefan said, and his hand glowed with green light for an instant.

The seeds started sprouting, growing like lightning, and soon he held a bouquet of colorful flowers in his hand. "For you, little queen."

"Ooh! Flowers!" Regina squealed. Then she took the bouquet and smelled them. "Mmm! Pretty! Thanks, Stefan!"

"You're welcome," the little boy laughed. Then he cupped his hand and blew on the flowers. Some sparkling dust flew from his palm and onto the flowers. "There! Now they'll stay."

"Forever?" Regina asked.

"Uh . . . pretty much," the fledgling Earthmaster replied.

Regina promptly threw her arms about the boy and kissed him.

"Looks like you've got a girlfriend, little cousin," teased Luca, chuckling.

Stefan glared at him over Regina's head. "Aww, shut it, Luca!"

"I'll dance the tarantella at your wedding, Stef," Luca snickered.

Regina eyed him sharply. "You getting' married, Stefan?"

"Uh . . . no. Not till I'm grown up," Stefan said, blushing.

"You got a bride yet?"

"No . . . not yet," he said, swallowing hard.

"I'll marry you, Stefan!" Regina declared. "When I'm all grown up!"

Luca burst out laughing, and so did the other children.

"Uh, thanks, Regina," Stefan muttered, looking like he wanted to sink into the floor.

"Don't feel bad," Henry said kindly. "She wanted to marry me last month and I had to tell her she couldn't, 'cause we were related and stuff."

"Hmm . . . that might not be a bad match," Strega Nonna murmured to Rumple. "Something to think about, no?"

Rumple shrugged. "If it's true love, then it'll happen. The heart always knows."

"Aww! Aren't they cute?" Snow said to David, indicating Regina and Stefan.

"Sure, hon, but I think poor Stefan's totally embarrassed," David said sympathetically.

"Give him a few years and he won't be," Snow said knowingly. Then she ate a cannoli.

Luca was talking with Alina and Rumple about transformation spells, and Belle was busy writing down some recipes Strega Nonna dictated to her, saying perhaps she would write a cookbook of all the recipes she'd learned while in New York and give it to Alice for Christmas.

"Speaking of Christmas, why don't you come to our annual Christmas party?" Nonna said. "It's just our family, and you're more than welcome. It's been too long since we celebrated with another magical family, and it'll be a nice change."

"All of us?" Emma said.

"Of course. The more the merrier, _cara_."

"Sounds good to me," Bae nodded.

"Yes. Just send us an invitation when you've set a date," Gold said.

"What's _cara_ mean?" Snow wondered.

"It means 'dear one'," answered Angel. "Nonna calls everybody that . . . if she likes them, that is."

Belle started giggling. "Like you, Rumple!"

"Great minds think alike," Rumple said.

"So they do, _cara mia,_ " Nonna agreed, laughing. Then she drew something out of her pocket. It was a beautifully woven scarf, with a pattern of gold and blue rosettes on it. "A gift for you . . . and your bambina," she said then, and handed the scarf to Belle.

"Thank you, Nonna! But . . . how did you know?" Belle asked.

"Ah . . . after so many women having babies in my family . . . how could I _not_ know," Nonna said. "My blessings upon you and yours, Signora Gold." She wove a rune in the air and gestured.

It floated over to Belle and dissolved as it touched her, showering her with small sparkles.

"What was that you cast, dearie?" Rumple asked. "I didn't recognize it."

"A simple blessing for a quick and easy birth, Rumple. Women's magic, _cara_."

"You are too kind," Belle said, smiling. "We ought to head back to the Plaza," she said, and looked knowingly at Regina, who was dozing in Stefan's lap, her hands clutching the flowers.

Rumple nodded, and took the sleepy toddler from Stefan, holding her against his shoulder. "How much do we owe you?"

"Nothing. Hospitality among friends is always free, Signori Gold," Nonna waved away the money he offered her. "Arrivaderci, and we shall see you again in December!" Then she vanished before Rumple could argue with her.

"Nonna always has the last word," Angel said knowingly.

The Golds bid goodbye to the rest of the Tessaros, then walked out of the restaurant.

They went a little ways down the sidewalk, intending to turn around and head back the way they had come, when several tall men wearing tailored pants and shirts blocked their path.

"Hey!" Emma snapped. "You're in our way. Now please move."

"Not a chance, girlie," sneered the tallest man. "We saw you hobnobbing with those filthy Tessaro bitches. And anybody that does that owes us passage out of Little Italy."

"Says who, buster?" Emma growled.

"Me. Donato Fabrizio. Unless you want to cut a deal?"

Emma stiffened, feeling her magical sense start tingling.

"We don't make deals with dark warlocks, dearie," Rumple growled, clicking his cufflinks together. "Now move your ass out of here. Or I'll do it for you, Fabrizio."

Fabrizio stared at him, his lip curling. "Famous last words, old man." He gestured, and dark magic curled about his fingers.

Rumple glared at him. "I'm warning you, dearie. Don't mess with me."

"I don't take orders from pansy-ass Tessaro gumbahs," Fabrizio sneered. "Either pay up or we'll break a few kneecaps."

"Not if I break yours first, Fabrizio," Rumple snarled, his own hand sparking with eldritch power.

"You want a duel, old timer? I'll smear your fancy ass all over the pavement," Fabrizio sniggered.

"Really, dearie?" sneered Rumple. "Why don't we see about that? If I win, you let us go back to upper Manhattan without any hard feelings. If you do, I'll pay you a hundred gold pieces. Have we got a deal?" He held out a hand, his eyes cold as midwinter.

Fabrizio snorted. "Hell, yeah, old man. I'm going to mop the floor with you." He clasped Rumple's hand in his own.

"The deal is struck," Rumple declared icily. "Now don't say I didn't warn you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, who thinks Rumple's going to kick Donato's ass all over New York?


	21. Donato vs. The Dark One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the wizards duel on the streets of New York! Who will win?

Donato Fabrizio was a dark warlock of the darkest stripe, schooled in evil magics since he first came into his power at age thirteen, and before that he was taught that the strong dominated the weak, and power belonged to those who could take it, and if you weren't one of those, you ought to stay the hell out of the way. He had ruled his family with an iron fist for over a hundred years, since first coming to these shores, having blackmailed a captain of a cruiser to take him and his family to the land where those shrewd and calculating could make their fortune. He was the second to bear that name, the first being his great-great grandfather, who had captured Josephine Tessaro and sacrificed her to his dark gods one moonless night, thus beginning the vendetta between the two families.

He had ruled in this suburb of Little Italy for time out of mind, challenged only by the Tessaros, whom he longed to wipe off the face of the earth, but couldn't quite manage to do so. They had more lives than a cat and were luckier than leprechauns, and he hated them with a fine ancient passion . . . and any who associated with them.

These newcomers here reeked of untapped magical potential, and he sneered at the blond woman standing a few feet away. If he had his way, he would make her his special apprentice, and teach her the true ways of power . . . as well as obedience to her lord and master. But first he had to deal with this old man upstart. Funny, but the old man's aura seemed pretty strong . . . enough to give him a good fight, and provide some entertainment for his men, who were itching for a good duel. They always enjoyed watching Donato kick the crap out of someone, whether it be an ordinary person or a magical one. That this one happened to be a friend of the Tessaros was an added bonus.

"You're just going to fight a duel here in the middle of the street?" Emma growled. "What if someone sees?"

Donato laughed. "Sister, nobody around here sees anything unless I want them to." He snapped his fingers and two of his lackeys gestured and raised the Invisible Mist, which would prevent any mundane from seeing what was really going on. He leered at Emma. "Maybe, after I finish kicking this old man here all the way home, I'll have me some fun with you, girlie."

"Over my dead body," Bae snarled, his eyes glinting.

"You mean, over his," Emma corrected, glaring at Donato fit to kill. She turned to Gold. "We've got your back," she nodded at Donato's goons.

Upon hearing that, Henry conjured up weapons for Emma, Bae, Charming, and Snow. They appeared at each one's feet—enchanted swords for Emma and David, a fighting staff for Bae, capped with a foot long glittering blade, and a bow and arrows for Snow.

Snow handed Regina to Belle and picked up the bow and nocked an arrow to the string.

The rest of her family picked up the weapons and ranged themselves opposite the Fabrizios, giving their opponents deadly glares.

Alina, Henry, Belle, and Regina were behind them, beneath a purple conjured shield of Alina's.

"What's happenin', Auntie Belle?" asked Regina.

"Um . . . your Uncle Rumple's going to fight a duel with that nasty warlock," Belle told the child, trying to sound optimistic, but she was scared to death something might happen to her husband.

Regina looked at Henry. "Henry, what's a duel?"

"You know, like when two people fight each other." He searched for an example to give her, finally coming up with, "Like when your daddy plays Mortal Kombat on his X-Box."

Regina gasped. "Wow! It's like that?" She peered around Snow's shoulder as Fabrizio began drawing a glowing yellow circle on the ground. She watched avidly as the strange nasty man stepped into the circle and then beckoned to her uncle, who joined him, closing it as he did so.

Regina sucked in a breath, for young as she was, she could feel the tension in the air. Then she screamed as loudly as she could, " _Mortal Kombat! Fight!"_

Belle nearly went deaf.

Henry, Bae, and Charming started smirking. Emma and Snow rolled their eyes at the influence their menfolk had upon the impressionable toddler.

As if that were a signal, Fabrizio summoned up a fireball and sent it soaring at Rumple. "Catch, old man! Oops . . . it might be a bit hot for you!"

Rumple simply held out a hand, and caught the fireball easily. "Not at all, dearie."

Donato's eyes widened as he realized his mistake. _Crap! That's an Elemental Master!_ Such magicians were rare, the Fabrizios had been trying to breed for one for centuries, without much success. He conjured a shield just in time, as Rumple sent the fireball back at him, grown into twice its size and split into several glittering balls, like meteors in flight they streaked towards him.

The dark warlock managed to catch them all on his shield, where they fizzled and sparked, then he banished his conjuring and lashed back with a poison spit, filling his lungs with air and then transmuting it to a noxious green venom, like a viper, which he then spat at Gold.

The corrosive venom splattered on Rumple's own shield, then the former Dark One transported himself across the circle, his fingers grown into monstrous claws, and he slashed them down at the other sorcerer. "Surprise, dearie!"

Donato was not expecting his opponent to attack him physically, for the other wizard didn't seem the type, and so was caught off guard.

One of Rumple's claws tore into his chest, drawing a stream of bright red blood, and Donato yelped.

A second later, he transformed his own hands into the huge stone appendages of a golem and tried to pound Rumple into the ground with one sledgehammer blow.

Rumple threw himself backwards, avoiding the huge fists by inches. The stone fists smashed into the sidewalk, creating a spiderweb of cracks.

That gave Gold an idea, and his hands shrank back to normal as he began to cast again, creating a huge sticky web that he threw at Fabrizio. As he spun the web in his hands, he called, "Pretty boy, see here, see here. Step into my parlor, says the spider to the fly." He twirled the web about his head, releasing it with a sharp snap.

It soared through the air and wrapped itself around the necromancer, entangling him in its sticky strands.

Donato found his arms pinned to his sides, and swearing, he called upon his dark fire and managed to burn the web to ash. As purple dust floated down around him, Fabrizio called upon his dark powers again, sending a swarm of hungry vampire bats at Rumple. "Try this on for size, old man!"

Bats converged upon the pawnbroker, covering his form in over a hundred shapes.

"Rumple!" Belle cried out in horror.

"Grandpa! Kick his butt!" Henry yelled.

"Unca Rumple! Finish him!"

Suddenly the bats flew away in a huge cloud, making small sounds of distress.

"What?" Fabrizio gaped, for he'd been sure this would end the duel.

Rumple lowered a small tin whistle, his face and hands scratched and bleeding, and said coldly, "Come now, boy. You've got bats in your belfry if you think that trick's going to stop me."

"I'm going to tap dance on your face, old man. And then I'm going to take that blond wench and teach her how to beg for my attention," he leered.

"Somehow I doubt that," Rumple snorted, then he cast a conjuring of his own, calling up a murder of crows. He sent them at Donato with a careless flip of a hand.

The crows surged at him, screeching their raucous battle cry, and Fabrizio shrank backwards, trying to avoid their vicious beaks while conjuring a tight shield. The black birds struck without regard for their own lives, maddened by the tang of blood and enraged by Rumple's conjuring.

Donato brought his hands together, and crows were blown to bits and pieces all over the circle. The dark warlock emerged triumphant from the fray, blood dripping from his face, his shirt shredded and shallow scratches and wounds from the corbies beaks and talons upon his chest and abdomen.

Belle hid Regina's face in her shoulder, not wishing the child to see the dreadful carnage, yet unable to look away herself. "Give it to him, Rumple!" she found herself yelling. "Show that bullying ass who's boss!"

As if that were a signal, Fabrizio's goons started to shout insults as well.

"Teach that old codger who's master, sir! Make him get on his knees and kiss your feet, Master Donato!" they bellowed.

For several long moments, the two sorcerers traded spells, with neither gaining an advantage or disadvantage. It seemed they were evenly matched, and Donato was beginning to get frustrated. Always before, he had taken about ten minutes to duel an opponent and totally destroy them. But this stranger was proving to be tougher than he looked . . . and somehow he was countering most of Fabrizio's dark workings . . . a thing which the necromancer wasn't used to. It was almost as if he had intimate knowledge of dark magic . . . but that was impossible . . . for no dark conjurer would ally himself with those Tessaro tramps, who were as light as they came.

"Time to end this, old timer," Fabrizio sneered, then he stamped a foot on the ground, causing it to buckle and shake.

The tremors knocked Rumple to his knees, and the earth rippled and split.

He would have fallen into the gaping crack but he used his mastery of air to create a carpet of wind beneath him and soared into the air. As he flew above the necromancer, he used his knowledge of wind to create a sort of swirling vacuum about Donato, causing the other sorcerer to start gasping and choking as his air was stolen from him, making him stagger and clutch his throat, his skin turning a slight blue color.

Fabrizio's goons watching gasped, for they had never seen their leader in peril like this before. And one of them broke the rules of the duel and chucked a small rock at Gold's head, striking the master magician on the cheek and causing him to lose focus for a single instant.

That instant was all it took for Fabrizio to get in a good enough gulp of air to keep from passing out, and he quickly banished the sucking wind, color now returning to his features. He regarded Rumple warily now, finally starting to take the other sorcerer seriously.

"Hey! You cheating bastards!" Bae yelled, furious at the Fabrizio men.

They snickered at the Golds, giving them the finger.

Suddenly Regina sang out, "Bad boys! Bad boys! Whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?"

Henry and Alina started singing the song as well, clearly mocking the Fabrizios.

"Shut up, brats!" they howled, furious at being taunted by children.

Snow took careful aim at the one who had thrown the rock at Rumple, then released her arrow.

It flew through the air right beneath Rumple and slammed into the shoulder of her target. The slender Fabrizio screamed in shock. "You . . . you shot me, you bitch!"

"That's for cheating," Snow called. "Cheaters never prosper!" She nocked another arrow. "Next time I'll aim for something a lot more vulnerable, so quit interfering."

Cursing, the wounded man staggered back behind his fellows, trying to remove the arrow and whimpering when he realized he couldn't.

Donato, somewhat recovered from his almost suffocation, cast again, summoning some large spectral hands to snatch Rumple off his flying "carpet". The ghostly hands grabbed the former Dark One and squeezed.

Rumple groaned, the spectral hands were not only squeezing him, but sending sudden blasts of extreme cold through him. Only his partial immunity to magical cold prevented him from succumbing to it. Using every scrap of will he possessed, he concentrated . . . drawing upon the reserves in his cufflinks . . . and suddenly the spectral hands were shredded apart as he brought his power to bear in a concentrated pulse of purple energy.

He drifted to the ground upon the wings of magic, his eyes narrowed. "I'm done playing, dearie."

Donato gaped at him. The Spectral Hands of Doom was one of the most powerful spells in his arsenal, and had been the downfall of hundreds of wizards. He could not believe this old man could defeat that spell . . . and not only defeat it . . . it was plain the other sorcerer still had magic to spare.

Rumple was tiring, for he had not fought in magical combat in twenty-eight years, but he knew better than to advertize that fact. Then too, he was concerned that his cufflinks were being drained too rapidly, and might not be able to last if the duel went on much longer. He had to end this quickly.

Fabrizio was panicking, and so he used a rather desperate spell, and conjured a spectral wraith to send against Rumple, not bothering to set certain parameters like he usually did. He sent the ghastly thing at the sorcerer, screaming, "Kill him!"

Rumple saw the wraith bearing down upon him . . . and knew it would be on him in an eyeblink . . . and if it touched him, it could suck his soul from his body. He knew the spell to banish a wraith . . . but it took more time than he had to cast it.

The wraith drifted closer, keening a death cry.

Rumple felt terror course through him, as the wraith conjured up all the feelings of fear and inadequacy in its quarry that it could, for such was meat and drink to it, as it fed off the despair of the living.

For a few moments, the pawnbroker was frozen, unable to react.

The wraith howled and floated to the attack, shrieking.

And then Rumple did something he had never done before.

Instead of seeking to banish or defeat the wraith with his knowledge of dark magic, he sought a spell he had learned from his sister Rhea, one that called upon a mystic being of light, the counter to the dark minion that menaced him. He shut his eyes and whispered, "Light of ages, aid me now in my hour of need! I ask for your protection against the might of the dark that would destroy me."

Unlike a dark summoning, which bound a creature to the will of its summoner, and controlled it, this was but a request for help . . . which might not be answered, as it depended upon the being who heard it . . . and if it deemed the wizard worthy of its aid.

The wraith darted at Rumple, its dark claws reaching . . .

. . . and a circle of pure light erupted in front of it, as a glowing shape emerged from a portal to confront the dark abomination.

Rumple opened his eyes, and gasped.

A creature that glowed with celestial fire stood before him. It was shaped like a great tiger, with pure white fur and stripes that glowed with blue fire. It had wings of pure light, frosted with purple magic, and its front claws were golden talons, like that of an eagle.

"A seraph!" Rumple whispered in awe. When he had cast that spell and requested aid, he had never expected this being to respond. A seraph was high in the rankings of celestial beings, and they were independent and solitary beings who rarely involved themselves in mortal affairs.

The seraph roared, a sound like the clarion call of a thousand trumpets.

The wraith's keening halted as it came face to face with its ancient enemy.

It struck at the seraph, attempting to suck its energy from its body.

But it was too slow, and then the seraph was on the wraith in one swift lunge.

Its huge paws and talons raked the wraith's tattered form, inflicting harm upon the insubstantial being with its magical might, and the wraith cringed and shrank away from the seraph's fangs and claws.

"Shit!" Donato swore, and poured some of his eldritch power into the wraith, trying to give it enough power to withstand the seraph.

The wraith rallied for a few minutes, and it tried again to suck the seraph's soul from its body.

But even as it managed to get some of the essence of the seraph into itself, it could not withstand the purity of the seraph's spirit, and it screamed, a high wail of agony, as the seraph's soul burned the cursed entity from the inside out.

The seraph roared again, and the wraith shivered and seemed to shrivel at the sound, backing away across the circle.

The seraph hovered upon its glowing wings before Rumple, clearly guarding him, its eyes shimmering with indigo glory.

Frustrated and hurting, the wraith spun, and its cold eyes alighted upon Fabrizio, its summoner . . . who had neglected to specify a price for the wraith's services.

For those entities called from the darkness required payment for services rendered, and if no payment was specified, would take it out of the hide of the one who summoned it.

The wraith lunged at Donato, determined to collect its price.

Too late, the necromancer realized his oversight.

"No! Hellfire, no!" Fabrizio screamed as the wraith turned upon him. He conjured the strongest shield he could . . . but knew no shield could keep out the wraith, whose immaterial form was unaffected by such things.

The wraith slashed through the sorcerer's shield like it was confetti, shrieking its hatred of the living as it soared towards the necromancer.

Donato gave ground, his boots brushing the outer edge of the circle.

Desperate, knowing the terrible fate that awaited him should the wraith devour his soul, he called out to Rumple, "Please! I beg you . . . help me!"

"Why should I, dearie? You were the one who summoned it to try and steal my soul. You were the one who forgot the first rule of all summoning—that all magic comes with a price. Why should I save you from your own folly?" Rumple demanded.

"Please! I don't want to die . . . not like this," Donato begged, his face pale and sheened with sweat now that he was facing the death he had dealt to countless others. "Save me . . . and I shall declare you the victor . . . and you and yours shall go free from here . . ."

The wraith keened and swiped at Fabrizio, who cringed and held up his hands futilely.

"If you die, I've won," Rumple pointed out.

"But if I die, you'll incur my death curse . . . and my family will declare war upon you and yours unto the tenth generation," Donato bargained. "This wasn't your fight . . . I should have let you go . . ."

"That's right, dearie. I warned you."

"Please! Spare me and I shall . . . owe you a favor . . . and a favor from me is not something to be taken lightly . . . surely one who can summon a seraph knows the value of mercy." The necromancer was on his knees now, shaking, as the wraith began to draw his essence from his body.

Rumple considered. He had no wish to involve himself in this vendetta, he had spent too many years involved in blood feuds back in Fairy Tale Land. He had his family to consider and knew that if Fabrizio died, the rest of his family would mark the Golds out for revenge. That was the last thing Rumple wanted. He also was still stunned that a seraph, one of the most powerful good beings, had answered his request, proving that Belle and Rhea had always been right . . . his heart was still good, despite all he had done when he was the Dark One.

The seraph still hovered in the air . . .and Rumple knew he was at a crossroads. One choice would end in death . . . and prove that despite his claims to the contrary, he was still the Dark One of the dagger curse, still a man who made wrong choices, a pyrrhic victory. The other . . . would end with his enemy alive . . . but his very compassion would defeat his rival and prove at last that he was the decent man Belle loved.

The seraph looked at him.

_Choose, Rumplestiltskin._

Rumple took a deep breath. Then he spoke, softly but with authority. "Help him."

The seraph sprang upon the wraith, tearing into the unholy monster with all four sets of claws and teeth, burning the undead fiend with its blazing celestial fire.

The wraith shrieked as it was destroyed, its shadowy essence torn asunder and swallowed by the seraph's holy aura.

When it was no more than wisps of shadow beneath the seraph's claws, and even that faded away in the winged creature's pure aura, the seraph wrinkled its nose at the cringing necromancer, making a sound of disgust, then turned its back upon him and nodded once to Rumple in approval.

_To show mercy to a fallen foe is true strength. Fare thee well, Gold sorcerer._

Then the seraph vanished, one moment it was there, and the next it was not, leaving only a trail of golden sparkles behind to prove it had been there at all.

Fabrizio looked up at Rumple, loathing upon his handsome features, but he knew he had to keep to his end of the bargain. "You spared me . . . and now I owe you a debt."

"That and more, dearie," Rumple reminded him.

Donato gritted his teeth. "Yes. You're free to go. All of you," he spoke the words as if they left a nasty taste in his mouth. Slowly he climbed to his feet, and though he was taller than Gold, he seemed reduced in stature. "Wait. First, I want to ask you a question."

"Go on. But I needn't answer it," Rumple said.

"Who the hell _are_ you?"

"The name's Rumplestiltskin, Fabrizio. Remember it," Gold replied. "And if you break your deal with me, I'll make sure you regret it, dearie. Unto the tenth generation." He gave the dark warlock a cold look, reminiscent of the one he wore as the Dark One.

Donato swallowed sharply and canceled the circle, backing away until he was surrounded by his goons once more, like a spoiled bully seeking protection from his circle of admirers. "Go. And I hope to God I never see any of you again."

He waved, and his men stepped back, allowing the Golds to go on their way.

Henry quickly banished their weapons, and Belle handed Regina back to Snow. Then she ran forward and embraced her husband, giving him a kiss that told him without words how proud she was of him.

Rumple kissed her back, reveling in her silent approval. But he didn't want to linger here, and so he put his arm about his wife, and started walking back the way they had come.

The rest of the family followed, and as Snow passed Donato and the rest of his goons, Regina smirked at them over her mother's shoulder and cried, "Flawless victory, losers! How do ya like _them_ apples?"

The Fabrizio men winced and one hissed, "Boss . . . we've just been burned by a three-year-old."

"Shut up, Captain Obvious," Donato snapped. "Now let's get the hell home." His pride still smarting, the dark warlock turned and headed the opposite way, muttering, "F-ing Rumplestiltskin!"

 


	22. Catch Me If You Can

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina and the Charmings stop a robbery

As they made their way back up the street, Bae said to Henry, "See, tiger? That's what I'm talking about. Your grandpa just fought that nasty ass Fabrizio using the techniques Master Kitaro taught me. He used the Way of the Peaceful Warrior," Bae declared proudly. "Because it's not enough to just win . . . you have to win the right way."

Hearing the pride in his son's voice, something Rumple was sure he'd never hear back when he was the Dark One, and making a mess of things with his son left and right, caused the sorcerer's heart to swell in amazement, and a satisfaction so deep he almost burst with it. At long last he had gained his son's regard, and suddenly he didn't regret at all sparing Fabrizio's miserable life. He had finally done the right thing, and that was worth more than gold, to have the respect of those he loved best.

Belle smiled up at him, and they quickened their steps back to the Plaza, anxious to get to the hotel and relax.

Rumple was ready for a long nap, for his spell duel had exhausted him, and all he wanted right then was to take a long shower, get into pajamas and fall asleep with his head in Belle's lap.

Once they got to their suite, that was exactly what he did.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

The next day was their last full day in Manhattan, for tomorrow they would be leaving to return to Storybrooke. Rumple was still beat, and wanted to do nothing more strenuous than veg out on the couch and watch TV or read with Belle, who also was feeling rather peaky and was content to remain in the suite with her husband, as her tummy was bothering her.

Snow, David, Regina, and Henry wanted to take a look in some shops along the street across from their hotel, and Bae, Emma, and Alina went back to the Asian market because Emma wanted to look at something there.

Actually, Emma was shopping for a Christmas present for her husband, and she needed Alina to distract him while she did so.

"You take him over there," she indicated a stall where they sold some martial arts weapons to Alina. "Ask him some questions or something, while I go in here to that Master Lu Kang or whatever his name is and buy that onyx panther and that leather jacket he was looking at a few days ago. Okay?"

"Sure, Emma!" Alina grinned. "No worries! I got it covered."

She dragged her brother over to the weapons booth and started asking him what the difference was between the long staff and the short staff there.

Bae promptly launched into an explanation while Emma disappeared into the shop in question.

After five minutes, and still no Emma, Alina was wondering what other question she should ask, when Bae said slyly, "So . . . how long are you supposed to keep me talking here, Alina?"

"W-what?" his sister blurted, shocked.

"Tell me, little sister . . . what's Emma shopping for?" Bae queried knowingly.

"Uh . . . it's a surprise," Alina hedged.

"Like a present for me?" Bae hinted.

Alina shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not."

Her brother smirked. "You don't do a good enough poker face to fool me."

"Who says I want to, Bae?"

"Me," he chuckled. "You forget, I learned how to spot a distraction a mile away. Both from Papa and from my days as a street rat. Now spill it, kid. What's she buying?"

"I ain't telling you!" Alina crossed her arms over her chest.

"No? How about if I do this?" and he pulled her to him and began to tickle her unmercifully.

"N-No . . . Bae . . . please . . . stop . . ." she giggled helplessly in his grip.

"Not till you tell me," he insisted, tickling her more.

She shook her head, laughing. "N-No . . . can't . . . hahaha . . . make me . . . ."

"Aww, come on! I'll make you a deal," he urged, still running his fingers over her vulnerable ribcage.

She shook her head, snickering.

"Damn, girl! Papa used to have me on the ground by now," her brother sighed.

"Well, you ain't Papa, Bae," she informed him gleefully. "And I already promised Emma. Sorceress' honor."

Bae shook his head. "Women! You're thick as thieves."

"Yup! And you're gonna be surprised on Christmas morning," his sister said smugly. Then she gasped. "Oops! I shouldn't have said that!"

"Ah ha! See, the Stiltskin Tickle Torture _always_ gets results. One way or another," Bae said smugly.

"Darn!" Alina sighed. "Now I feel like Hagrid," she groaned. But at least she hadn't let the cat out of the bag entirely.

After Emma returned, holding a large bag, they went and stopped by the pharmacy a few blocks down from the Plaza so Bae could pick up the tranquilizers for David that Archie had called in for him, just in case he needed them for the plane ride. He had admitted to Bae that flying made him nervous, and asked him to pick up the medication for him so Snow wouldn't learn of his embarrassing phobia.

While they were in the pharmacy, they also bought some snacks for the plane trip back, and Bae bought a martial arts magazine called Black Belt also. Emma bought some cryptograms, for she enjoyed doing puzzles. And Alina bought some comics for herself and Henry.

Then they headed back to the Plaza to eat lunch with their parents.

**Page~*~*~*~*~*~Break**

Meanwhile, the Charmings and Henry had been dragged into a stationary store by Snow to get "something absolutely essential to remember this vacation by". While she was perusing the section on photo albums, Regina had dragged Charming over to a section where they sold some toys and games and things.

"Daddy, I want this fairy costume," she pointed to a costume that had fake silver wings and a glittery green dress and a silvery sparkling wand with a star on top.

"But Regina, you already have a Halloween costume," David reminded her. "Remember, you're going to be Snow White."

"I know _that_ ," she said exasperatedly. "This isn't for Halloween. It's just for pretend. Like dress up n' stuff." She gave him a look that said why didn't he know that? It was so obvious.

"Oh. Err . . . okay," her father said, and then he took one down from the rack. "You want anything, Henry?"

"Um . . . I saw a cool looking journal over there," Henry said. He pointed to a journal that looked like one they made back in Fairy Tale Land, with distressed leather and brass caps and a scroll-lock.

David just nodded and then he went to pay for the items.

Once they were done, he took the kids outside to wait for Snow.

Regina tugged on his sleeve. "Daddy, I wanna wear my fairy costume now."

"Regina, let's wait till later," David replied. "You can try it on when we get back to the hotel, okay?" he said reasonably.

"No!" Regina cried, stamping her foot on the floor. Sometimes the little girl could be reasoned with, and other times she could turn obstinate as ten mules. "I wanna wear it now!"

David shook his head. "No. We'll wait."

"No! _Now_ , Daddy!" she wailed.

He almost gave in when he saw her eyes fill up with tears. But then he stopped himself. He knew that sometimes there were times when he needed to be firm, and not let the child have her own way just because she made him feel guilty. And there wasn't any reason not to wait till they were home for her to try on the costume.

"Regina, you can wait ten minutes till we get back to the hotel. Now quit those crocodile tears," he ordered exasperatedly.

"Don't wanna wait!" she shrieked, her face turning bright red with temper.

"Looks like someone's tired and needs a nap," he said, recognizing the signs that she was cranky.

"No! I ain't taking no nap! You're mean!" she yelled, and continued bawling like he'd beaten her within an inch of her life.

David wanted to cover his ears. He saw Henry wincing and nearly covering his, and he scowled and said, "Now you listen here, Regina Nolan. Either you wait like I said or when we get back to the hotel, you'll be in trouble and not only will you not be wearing your costume, you'll be standing in the corner for having a tantrum _and_ taking a nap because you're behaving like a cranky little imp. Got me?"

She sniffled and glared at him. "I'm tellin' Mommy!"

David fought to keep from laughing. "Go ahead. I'm sure she'll agree with me."

Regina considered, her bottom lip sticking out in a pout. "Fine! Then I'm tellin' Unca Rumple!"

"Really? You can tell the whole world if you want to, sweetheart, but that's not going to make me change my mind."

"Why?"

"Because I'm your father and what I say goes, young lady. Now decide what you'd rather do—wait and get to wear your costume when we get back to the Plaza, or throw a fit right here on the street and when we get back it's no costume, time out, and a nap. Your choice, Regina." He crossed his arms over his chest.

"I don't wanna do any of those things," she sniveled, angry that he was making her choose to do something she didn't want to.

"Those are your choices," he replied, thinking back to something Rumple had told him about toddlers testing boundaries. The pawnbroker had said there were times when you just had to hold your ground and your child might not like it, but they needed to learn who was in charge, or else they'd think they could walk all over you. _You don't have to be nasty, just be firm, and show them that they don't get what they want if they act up with you. It's hard, but it's necessary._

"You're mean!" she cried. "Mean an' nasty and an ole crab!"

"Okay . . . and if you don't quit giving me an attitude, I'm going to be even more of a crab," David returned. "Is that what you want?"

"No," she said sullenly. "I wanna wear my fairy costume."

"You will. Later."

Frustrated, Regina ran over to Henry and cried, "Henry, Daddy's being mean and nasty!"

Her nephew looked at her and said, "Not really. He just wants you to wait a little. Is that so bad?"

"I don't wanna!"

"Well, sometimes we all have to do things we don't want to," the boy told her. "Three weeks ago I didn't want to do my book report, I wanted to play Candy Crush instead, and my dad made me do my homework."

"Did you think he was mean?"

"Uh . . . yeah, for a bit, but I knew afterwards I could play my game and if I argued with him, he'd take away my Nook and ground me, so guess what I did? I did my homework first," Henry told her. "It was the better of two choices. Now you need to do the same thing. Decide what's better, you not listening and getting nothing you want, or you listening to your dad and getting what you want a little later."

Regina huffed and pouted some more. She looked at David and then back at Henry. Finally realizing she wasn't going to get exactly what she wanted, she sulked for a bit. When that didn't work, she sighed and snapped, "Fine! I'll wait! But you're both mean!"

"Why am I mean?" Henry asked.

"'Cause I say so!" the toddler said grouchily, then she leaned against the side of the building and scowled.

Henry fought to keep from laughing. He recalled a few times when he had done the same thing . . . with the little girl before him when she was his mother. It hadn't worked any better with Regina as an adult than it did with David now.

Just then they saw someone bolt out the door of the convenience store next to them. It was a scruffy looking young man with raggedy blond hair and ripped up jeans and a stained T-shirt. He ran down the sidewalk just as the shopkeeper came out and yelled, "Stop, thief! He just held up my shop! Stole a hundred dollars from my register!"

There was a policeman on a horse that happened to be standing nearby, he'd been getting a sandwich from the deli on the corner. He heard the shopkeeper and went to go chase after the thief, who was running down a nearby alley.

Suddenly his horse stumbled and the police officer was thrown from the saddle. He landed hard on the pavement and cried out, clutching his arm. "Dammit! It's broken! And that rotten crook's getting away."

"Henry, take my cell and call 911," said David. "Tell them we need an ambulance over here stat!"

"What's going on?" Snow asked, coming out of the stationary store.

"There's been a robbery," David told her. "And if we don't do something, that thief's going to walk off with the money." He indicated the hurt policeman and the horse still standing there.

"Then let's do something," Snow said, and she dropped her bag by Henry and said, "Come on, David! Henry, you stay here and watch Regina."

David ran over to the horse and mounted in one easy leap, pulling Snow up beside him. Then he put his heels to the horse's flanks and shouted, "Yah! Let's go, boy!"

The chestnut gelding sprang off, and Snow and David pursued the thief through the alley.

Regina started jumping up and down, no longer upset with her daddy. "Yeah! Get 'em, Daddy! Under arrest him like Emma! An' John Wayne! A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do!"

Henry managed to contact 911 and tell them what happened and where they were. Sirens started wailing and he hugged Regina to him and said, "Let's hope the catch that thief."

"They will!" Regina stated. "They're heroes!"

The injured officer looked at the two children. "Either that or crazy. They always do things like that?"

"Pretty much," Henry said. "They have this thing about rescuing people and stuff."

"Amazing. But they could get hurt," the policeman said. "That guy could be armed."

"My grandpa knows how to fight. And so does my grandma," Henry replied blithely. "It's that thief who ought to be worried."

The thief ran blindly down another side street when he heard the sound of galloping hooves. Swearing, he tried to climb up the back of a chain-link fence, but Charming got the horse in close and then jumped off and tackled the slender man to the ground.

"Freeze! You're under arrest!" he yelled in his best imitation of Emma . . . or what he imagined she would be like when she was arresting someone.

"Aww, crap! What are you, an undercover cop?" the thief groaned, holding up his hands. "Okay, I give up! Just don't shoot me."

Now that he'd captured the thief, Charming wished he owned a pair of Emma's handcuffs. He glanced at Snow, who realized his dilemma and ripped off the bottom of her T-shirt to make a rope to tie the thief up with.

Charming took it and snapped, "Put your hands where I can see them and no funny business."

The thief obeyed, and then he spotted Snow and groaned, "Her too? What are you both cops?"

"We're partners," Snow replied honestly.

After David had tied him up, he remounted the policeman's horse and had the now captured thief run alongside, much to his dismay.

"Huh? You want me to what? Buddy, what d'you think this is, the Old West?"

Charming shrugged. "It doesn't matter what I think. All that matters is that we're bringing you in. Now start walking."

When they returned to where the policeman and the kids were, they found some cop cars and the ambulance had arrived. The officer, who'd broken an arm and sprained his ankle, was just being loaded into the ambulance when David and Snow came up with the thief in tow.

"Holy crap!" he gasped when he saw them. "They really caught him. MacLeod!" he called to a tall man standing next to a cop car. "We'd better make these two honorary members of the force or something. It's like incredible!"

"Okay, Rich," his partner laughed. Then he turned to Snow and David. "Thanks you guys for bringing this perp in." He moved to cuff the thief, and said, "I'll make sure Tonto's taken care of, Rich." To the thief, he said, "You have the right to remain silent . . ."

"Darn! Now why didn't I think of that?" David muttered to his wife.

"Because you don't watch Law and Order like Emma and Regina," Snow said, and slid down from Tonto's back.

The rest of the police gathered there, there were two others, clapped as she did so, and came up to congratulate them.

"That was as sweet a collar as I've ever seen," said one. "You on the force back where you come from?"

"Uh, no, but our daughter is," David said. "I'm . . . a former veterinary assistant and my wife's an elementary school teacher. We're here on vacation with our family."

"You two make a great team, and Rich is right, you ought to be honorary members," said MacLeod.

Just then Regina broke away from Henry and ran over to them. "Daddy! You did it! You got the bad guy . . . just like John Wayne!" She threw her arms about him and hugged him.

"John Wayne, eh?" a cop chuckled. "Yeah, you're right, little lady. Your daddy is like the Duke."

"Uh huh. Only he ain't a duke. He's a prince!" Regina declared, and everyone laughed.

**Page~*~*~*~*~*~Break**

All Regina could talk about when they got back to the hotel was how Snow and David had "under arrested" someone. She jumped on Rumple and woke him up just to tell him that, and the weary sorcerer just yawned and said, "That's nice, dearie. Your papa and mama have always been heroes."

"Yup. They kicked that bad guy's butt, Unca Rumple. Just like you did that Frizzy-Ho guy yesterday," his niece prattled.

Rumple's eyes widened. "The who?"

"You know, that Frizzy-Ho guy. The evil warlock," she elaborated.

Rumple's lips twitched hard. "Ah. You mean, Fabrizio?"

"Yup. What I said."

He started laughing. "I think I like your name for him better, scamp! Now could you please stop jumping on my stomach, dearie?"

"Why? 'Cause you'll throw up?" she asked innocently.

"Exactly," he nodded.

"Okay," she agreed, then she went and jumped on David, who was sitting in the recliner. "Daddy, let's play Hop on Pop!"

David grunted as her knees landed almost in a certain vulnerable part of his anatomy. "Oof! Honey, you've got lethal knees. Like your mom."

Snow shot him a Look. "Gee thanks, David."

"Better you than me, dearie," Rumple smirked, and calmly rearranged himself on the couch next to a sleeping Belle.

The suite door opened and Bae, Emma, and Alina walked in.

"Hi, guys!" they greeted.

"So what'd we miss?" Emma asked as she put down her shopping bag.

"Emma! Daddy and Mommy under arrested a bad guy!" Regina crowed from her perch on David's lap.

"And that hood Fabrizio's got a new name," Snow giggled. "According to Regina, he's a Frizzy-Ho."

"Uh, can you run that by me again?" Emma asked, while behind her Bae and Alina cracked up.

So Charming told the story of how they caught a thief while shopping, and Regina bounced up and down on his lap at the exciting parts, grinning like a jack-o-lantern. By the time he was done, David felt like he'd become Hop on Pop for real.

Rumple slanted him a commiserating glance. "It's exhausting, isn't it? Being her hero?"

"Uh huh," David said, wincing. Then he hugged his baby girl. "But it's all worth it."

"It always is, dearie," Rumple said wisely. "Now who wants pizza?"


	23. Faith Trust and Pixie Dust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the Golds leave the Big Apple but something unforeseem happens on the airplane

Finally, it was time to bid farewell to the Big Apple and fly back home to Storybrooke. It had been an awesome vacation, one the Golds would never forget, but now it was time to leave, much to their regret. So they packed up everything early Thursday morning, and after making sure everything was in the limo, returned to JFK to board the plane back.

They had Dunkin Donuts for breakfast at the airport, and Regina was wired from eating a chocolate frosted donut and drinking her pint of chocolate milk. She was twirling and jumping, wearing her fairy costume, and singing, "Rockin' robin! Tweet tweet! He rocks in the treetops all day long! Rockin' and a boppin' and a singin' this song . . . tweet tweet!"

"Who taught her that one?" Rumple asked David while they waited to board.

"Snow, of course. Anything to do with birds is her influence," David said, eyeing his three-year-old resignedly. "Maybe I ought to give her one of these," he shook the bottle of meds in his pocket pointedly.

Rumple chuckled evilly. "I think there's a law somewhere that says drugging your hyperactive toddler is a federal offense."

"I'm sure whoever wrote that never had to deal with Regina," David groaned.

Regina was now waving her fake wand and singing another old but goody, "Bye Bye Blackbird". Other people sitting around them were saying how adorable she was, and Snow was beaming.

David whispered to Rumple, "Isn't there something you can do . . . magically, buddy? Maybe stick her to her chair when we get on the plane?"

Rumple shook his head. "Sorry." He tapped his cufflinks together. "I used the last of my magic this morning to make sure Belle wasn't puking her guts out on the flight home."

David stared. "You mean . . . you're magicless?"

"Just till we get home to Storybrooke," Rumple sighed. "And since the flight's only an hour and a half, I figure I can sleep through it, and then it's only fifteen minutes from Logan to Storybrooke. Fighting that miserable warlock slammed my reserves, but oh well. _Que sera sera._ " He shrugged.

"You're rather . . . calm about that," David observed.

"Like I said, nothing I can do," Rumple answered. "Besides, I lived twenty-eight years without my powers, I think I can last a whole two hours without going crazy."

Just then they called first class and any families with small children or disabled persons. Because he'd come there with his cane, Gold had it now, and faked having his limp back as they boarded. They were seated almost exactly as they had been before, though Belle, Regina, and Snow were together in the same row this time while Alina was next to Emma and Henry had the window seat next to Bae. Gold and David were together across from them.

David, who'd taken the tranquilizer pill just before they were called to board the aircraft, put on his seatbelt and closed his eyes, relaxing due to the pill, unlike last time, when he was a wreck and scared to death the plane would crash.

Beside him, Rumple stowed his cane in the overhead compartment, took the book Belle had bought for him out of his carryon, and settled down in his seat to read until he dozed off.

They went through the standard emergency procedures, then the pilot said it would be fair weather back to Massachusetts and to have a good flight.

"Thank God, let's get this show on the road," Emma said, and closed her eyes as well.

The plane took off, soaring up into the sky like a metal winged bird.

Snow and Belle happily looked out the window as it did so.

Regina held Sofia in her arms and was rocking her back and forth, singing "Kumbayaa." She was still wearing her fairy dress and had her wand, but Snow had gently detached her wings and put them in the overhead bin just till they got back to Logan airport.

This time when the flight attendant came by with the drink cart, Rumple only ordered a ginger ale, and one for David too, who was somewhere in lala land at the moment. The sorcerer glanced at the prince next to him and saw that David's eyes were semi-glazed and half-shut, he looked very Zen and cool as a cucumber. Considering that a blessing from how he'd been last time, Rumple put his seat back and began to read.

About five minutes into the flight, they hit turbulence. The Fasten Seatbelt sign came on and the flight attendants announced that everyone should return to their seats and buckle up, as it was starting to get very bumpy.

The plane rattled and jounced along for several minutes and Rumple scowled and wondered how the hell they could miscall weather like that, it was ridiculous. After the ginger ale on his tray table almost spilled into his lap, he drank it and David's and shoved their tray tables back upright.

David was smiling a little goofily as the plane shuddered and bucked.

"You okay?" Rumple asked cautiously.

"Huh?" he blinked blearily at his seatmate. "Oh . . . fine, Rumple. I feel so . . . relaxed. Like I'm floating in the sky . . . all happy."

"Then you don't notice this plane's bucking like a damn bronco," Rumple asked, gritting his teeth.

"It is? You know, I thought I felt a bounce or two . . . but then I figured we hit some clouds . . . and was there a voice talking before . . . it sounded rather urgent but . . . frankly, dearie, I don't give a damn," David drawled.

"That was the pilot, telling us we're in for an unexpected spot of bad weather," Rumple said, clutching the seat rest. "Apparently a storm's blown up out of nowhere, wasn't on any of the radar . . ." Suddenly he stiffened, feeling the unmistakable tingle of a magical spell being cast. He looked back at his family, but none of them were casting anything, just sitting in their seats looking slightly fearful and trying to relax. No, this was not coming from inside the plane, Gold realized a second later. This was coming from beyond it. "Ah, hell! I should have known!" he growled.

"Known what?" David muttered, his eyes still unfocused.

"Known that goon Fabrizio would find a loophole around my deal and try and get us back for my kicking his ass," Rumple groaned.

"But . . . but didn't he make you a deal to leave you alone?" David asked, scratching his head.

"He made me a deal to let us all leave Little Italy safely and that he owes me a favor. But he never . . . dammit!" Gold swore as the plane bounced hard. " . . . he never promised I'd be safe from someone else in his family . . . like another magician . . . trying to revenge himself on us . . . This is not a natural storm, David. Some blasted warlock's tampering with the weather!"

"Uh . . . is that bad?"

Rumple rolled his eyes. "Nolan, snap out of it! Of course it's bad! We could crash!"

As the plane bucked again, the captain's voice came on. "Folks, I'm afraid we're in for a rough patch of unexpected weather here. I don't know how much longer this will last, and am trying to get above it, so just sit tight and relax. I'm sure this will be over soon."

"Translation—you don't know what the hell you're dealing with, but you can't say that to a plane full of people who might panic," Rumple muttered. He gripped his seat rest in white knuckled fingers while rain lashed the windows and wind tugged at the plane's wings, threatening to yank it out of the sky. "Damn you, you Frizzy-Ho!" Rumple swore, his stomach nearly coming out of his throat as the plane did a sudden yaw to the right.

People behind them were whimpering and crying in fear, even as the flight attendants sought to keep them calm.

Rumple had never felt so helpless before . . . except maybe when the soldiers had come to take Bae away to fight. But this was somehow worse . . . because it was more lives at stake, all of his family now . . . and he was without his magic to protect them. "The Lord is my shepherd . . . I shall not want . . . he maketh me to lie down in green pastures . . ." he prayed softly.

Across from him, Regina piped up and asked Snow, "Mommy, is this a 'mergency? Is the plane crashing?"

"No, honey, of course not!" Snow reassured her, trying not to show how concerned she was. "If it were, we'd all be wearing our masks and life vests, remember? Like that nice lady told us when we got on. But we're not, sweetie, so we're fine. The plane is _not_ crashing."

 _So you hope,_ Rumple thought balefully. He prayed some more, asking whoever was around to guide the pilot through this conjured storm safely, or failing that, let somebody figure a way to get them all off the plane before it broke apart. He glanced again at David, who was muttering to himself, and thought _why the hell didn't I get me some of that? Great! Now he's talking to himself. But maybe those voices in his head are a good thing._

Regina looked at Snow and Belle, both of whom were struggling to remain calm, and said in an aggrieved tone, "Aww . .. but I wanted it to be a 'mergency, Mommy! So's we could get those wicked masks like Darth Vader," she breathed loudly in an imitation of the dark icon, " . . . and wear the orange jackets like on Rescue 911. It woulda been soo _cool_!"

"Great, she thinks the plane crashing would have been cool," Rumple said out of the corner of his mouth to David. He was starting to sweat.

David blinked and said calmly, "It wouldn't have been so bad."

"What do you mean, it wouldn't have been so bad? I have no more magic stored up, or have you forgotten? We could all die!" snapped Rumple.

"Nah. I had Snow bring along a vial of fairy dust. Just in case," he replied, giving Rumple a beatific grin.

Rumple glared at him. "Oh, _now_ he tells me. Thanks a lot!"

"What? You didn't ask me."

"I have to _ask_ that?" the sorcerer rolled his eyes in disgust.

"Uh . . . yeah."

Rumple threw up his hands. "Forget it Nolan! You're hopeless, you know that?"

"What bug crawled up his ass and died?" David asked of no one in particular.

"Talking to yourself again, dearie?" Rumple said snidely, his fear getting the better of him. "Next time we go anywhere on a plane, I'm banging my head into a wall first."

"Why would you want to do that? You could hurt yourself!" David gasped, looking horrified.

"Because being brain damaged is the only way I can deal with certain family members," Rumple said snarkily.

"What family members?"

"Never mind, David. Just go back to staring at the ceiling and listening to the voices in your head. They've got something important to tell you."

"They do?" David sounded very loopy, as the tranquilizer had some very weird effects on him. "Y' mean, you hear them too, Rumple?"

Rumple sighed heavily. "God help me! Another ten minutes of this and the men in the white coats are coming to take me away."

"Where? Where are they taking you, Rumple?" David cried, sounding slightly alarmed.

"To the funny farm. Where life is beautiful all the time," he laughed nervously, that high pitched giggle he used to make as the Dark One for pure amusement and to sound crazier than he was.

"I've never heard of that place." David said, sounding puzzled.

"Just ask Belle. On second thought, forget I ever said that! Ask Archie," Rumple quickly corrected himself, wanting to bang his head into the bulkhead.

"Okay. I will," said David. Then he nudged Rumple. "Didja ask Snow about the dust?"

Rumple sighed. He hated being helpless! And he hated even more relying on fairy magic. But it looked like there was no choice. The turbulence was getting worse and he didn't want to wait until there was a real emergency. So he leaned over and tapped Snow on the arm. "Mary Margaret . . . do you have that vial of . . . fairy dust?" he whispered.

She blinked. "Why . . . yes! I almost forgot about it. Thanks for reminding me, Rumple. It's here, around my neck," she said, and pulled it free from beneath her shirt.

"Well, now would be a good time to use it, dearie," Rumple reminded her. Then a new idea came to him. "And maybe it can work in concert with some of our magic. Emma! Listen to me. I need you to link with Alina and Henry . . ." he unbuckled his seatbelt and came over to whisper instructions in her ear, explaining that the three of them were the only ones with magic on the plane since his cufflinks were drained.

"You're out of juice?" Emma hissed in dismay. "Just great, Gold! Okay, what do we have to do again?"

While Rumple was trying to explain the basics of the spell he wished Emma and the children to cast, Snow whispered to Belle, "So . . . I have the dust here, but I'm not sure how to activate it. What should I do?"

"I'd give Blue a call," Belle said reasonably. "I know one thing, never play around with magic if you don't know what you're doing. You could accidentally send us to the moon or something."

Snow pulled out her cell. "I really hope we get service here." She pressed a certain number on speed dial and prayed. Nothing. Then a weird sounding ring. Snow held her breath. _Mary, Mother of God, be with me . . ._ It seemed someone was, because the phone crackled and then she heard Blue's voice say, "Hello? Mary Margaret, is that you?"

Snow heaved an immense sigh of relief. "Blue, we're in pickle here. The airplane is in trouble and we need to know how to activate the pixie dust! . . . uh, huh...sprinkled evenly over the cabin?. . . got it. . . and then the clapping begins. . . uh, huh. . . "I believe in fairies" three times . . . yes, got it. . . any women who are what? . . . pregnant? . . . well, eh, it just so happens there is . . um, it's Belle, actually . . . really? . . . you don't say? . . ."

"What about pregnant women?" Belle asked nervously.

"Oh, I agree, Blue, the risk is worth saving everyone on the plane," Snow continued blithely.

"What about pregnant women?" Belle repeated anxiously.

"Yes, I'll tell them. Thanks, Blue!" Snow chirped happily.

"SNOW WHITE! WHAT ABOUT PREGNANT WOMEN?"

"Well, there's a slight chance. . . minor, mind you. . . that a fetus exposed to pixie dust may acquire some special fairy powers." Snow explained, patting Belle's arm.

"Oh, Rumple's going to _love_ that! What can we do though? If the plane crashes it's a moot point anyway," Belle sighed.

"Right. Okay . . .let's split up. You start with first class and I'll head to the tail. Sprinkle it evenly over the plane." She opened the vial and handed Belle a handful of the precious dust.

"How are we going to get away with sprinkling pixie dust over a plane full of people who know nothing about magic?" Belle asked.

"We'll tell them it's to humor Regina. She's in her fairy costume! She's a very clever girl, I'm sure she can get them to play along with her." Snow said.

"Good plan. Let's get going," she stood up and unbuckled her seatbelt.

Snow unfastened Regina's seatbelt and said, "Okay, sweetie. Now we're going to play a little game. It's called pretend we're having an emergency and the only way to save the plane is for Mommy and Auntie Belle to sprinkle pixie dust on it and you have to get everyone on the plane to clap their hands three times and say "I believe in fairies". Think you can do that?"

"I can, Mommy! I'll help!" Regina said eagerly. She ran out into the aisle.

"I don't _believe_ this!" Rumple grunted, sitting back down. "Our lives dependant on damn pixie dust! Emma, get ready to cast when I say so."

"Will do, Master Yoda," she said, giving him a thumbs-up.

Meanwhile, Belle was going through first class and sprinkling some pixie dust, luckily there weren't too many other passengers in it besides her family, and she explained that they were playing a game in order to keep her niece from panicking, she was three and a three-year-old having a meltdown on a plane would _not_ be pretty, and this was just some glitter.

The flight attendants tried to protest as Snow went down the aisle, sprinkling dust, but Snow just said cheerily, "This is something I learned a long time ago . . . how to calm people down. I'm a teacher, it works wonders on children if you distract them by playing a game."

Regina appeared behind her, waving her wand, and crying loudly, "O- _kay_ , everybody! Now clap your hands three times and say "I believe in fairies", so's the plane will keep flying and not crash." She demonstrated, clapping her hands three times and saying, "I believe in fairies."

"Hey!" shouted another preschooler. "It's like Tinkerbell!" She copied Regina. "Do it, Mommy!"

Her mother also did it, wearing a secretly amused grin.

"Oh, what can it hurt?" said the man sitting beside her. "Might as well do something to keep our minds off the way this plane's jumping all over creation." Then he began to clap too and recite the words, "I believe in fairies," three times.

Rumple shook his head as Regina went up and down the aisle, exhorting people to clap their hands, for all the world like a general ordering her troops, while Belle and Snow finished distributing the dust. "There she goes. Miss Big Mouth Bossypants."

When everyone on the plane had done what she ordered, Regina came back down the aisle, her wand waving, just as Belle and Snow returned to their seats. She peered around at her family and said, "Okay, guys! Now clap!"

The rest of the family did so, even Emma. All except Rumple. "Fat chance!"

"C'mon, Unca Rumple! Clap your hands and say I believe in fairies," Regina urged, waving her wand at him like a demented chorus director.

"What? No. Just . . . no," Rumple said, cringing inwardly.

"But you **gots** to! Or the magic won't work." Regina cried anxiously.

Rumple scowled. "I'd rather go down in flames, dearie."

Regina glared stubbornly at him. "Unca Rumple! Just _do_ it!"

Rumple shook his head, equally stubborn.

Regina huffed. "PLEASE!" And she gave him her best puppydog eyes.

Rumple winced, but still refused. He would rely on conventional magic before he ever trusted fairy magic again.

"Papa, please! I don't wanna die at age eleven," Alina jumped in, and gave him puppydog eyes also.

"Rumple . . . you want to see your baby get born, right?" Belle asked, frowning. Damn the man! He could be so stubborn sometimes! Rather like Regina, now that she thought about it.

"Uh, of course, dearie."

"Then clap your hands! Come on . . . I'll do it with you," Belle urged, and started clapping.

"Okay. Only for you," he said, and started clapping and reciting that dreaded mantra.

"Isn't this great?" Snow said, smiling in relief. "Group cooperation! Excellent, boys and girls! Now let's all have a sing-a-long. I believe I can fly . . ." she started singing the old tune in her cheery soprano.

"Emma, where's your gun?" Rumple hissed. He was starting to feel nauseous.

"Couldn't bring it," she said regretfully. "Now when should we cast the spell?"

"Right now," the master magician replied, as several people started in on the chorus of "I Believe I Can Fly" along with Snow, Regina, and David.

Emma grabbed Alina's hand and Alina grabbed Henry's. "Ready?" she asked the two fledgling magicians. "On three. One. Two. Three. Concentrate and make a shield about the plane." She lowered her head and did just that . . . and her power awakened and flowed through her, mingling with that of her son's and sister-in-law's, to create a multi-faceted glowing shield about the plane until they managed to get far enough away from the storm.

The shield could not be seen except by magic wielders, but everyone felt the difference as the plane stopped shuddering and bucking. Several people heaved vast sighs of relief and a few crossed themselves.

Snow buckled herself and Regina back into their seats as the plane sailed smoothly past the conjured storm and up into the higher levels of the atmosphere at last, escaping the Fabrizios' vengeance.

The captain's voice came over the loudspeaker, telling everyone to relax, they were out of danger, and they could move about the cabin freely. The Fasten Seatbelt sign went off.

Henry nudged Emma. "Mom, you can stop now. We're okay."

Emma opened her eyes and stopped concentrating, feeling a sudden wash of exhaustion sweep over her. "God, I feel like I ran a marathon twice over."

"You all right, babe?" Bae asked, concerned.

"Uh huh. Be fine with some sleep," his wife yawned, then said, "But at least we're all alive and in one piece."

"And I have something that'll make you feel better," her husband said, smirking. He held out his phone. "I recorded Papa and Regina arguing about clapping their hands. It's hysterical."

"You didn't!" Emma gasped. "Baelfire! That's so . . . sneaky," she grinned at him conspiratorily.

"I learned from the best," her husband winked, and indicated Rumple, who was now leaning back in his seat with his eyes closed.

Emma took the phone, snickering. This had been some vacation!

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

Finally, the plane landed at Logan, and everyone got off. David's tranquilizers were finally wearing off, and he said to Rumple, "Well, that was a nice flight, wasn't it?" as they walked down the carpeted ramp.

"Sure . . . if you were drugged to your eyeballs," Rumple snorted.

"Huh? What happened?"

"Tell you when we get back home. It's too complicated to say here, and I only want to repeat it once," Rumple stated, anxious to not share the fairy dust incident more than once.

Ten minutes later, they had all collected their bags, and Rumple had paid some valets to retrieve their cars from remote parking.

As they waited outside with their suitcases, Regina, still wearing her fairy costume, said, "Am I goin' to drive with you back to your house, Unca Rumple?"

"Yes, imp. Just like we did when we came here," he said. "But lose the wings, dearie. They don't fit well in your car seat."

"Okay! Here, Mommy! You hold these till we get to Unca Rumple's house," Regina handed her the wings.

"All right. You did a wonderful job back on the plane, Regina," Snow praised. "Now, you're going to be a good girl for Uncle Rumple and Auntie Belle, right?"

"Uh huh."

"And not drive poor Uncle Rumple crazy?" David added.

"I'll be good," the little imp promised, giving Rumple an angelic smile.

"Sure you will, dearie," he nodded, then he rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. Who am I kidding?"


	24. Family Album

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The drive home has a few more mishaps for poor Rumple, Belle, and Regina, but the family album is hilarious!

Rumple figured that with only fifteen or twenty minutes to get home, he'd be safe in assuming everything would be fine during the car ride. Little did he know he was very much mistaken. First Regina decided to sing "The Song That Never Ends" over and over until Rumple wanted to borrow David's tranquilizers . . . and take the whole damn bottle.

"Regina! For heaven's sake, sing something else . . . _anything_ else! You're giving me a migraine," he ordered exasperatedly, driving as quickly as he could down the highway without breaking the speed limit. The last thing he needed was to be pulled over and get a speeding ticket.

 _Big_ mistake.

Because Regina stopped singing "The Song That Never Ends" and began to sing "When You Wish Upon A Star"-that patented _fairy_ song.

Gold groaned and thought about slamming his head into the steering wheel. Damn fairies! He couldn't seem to get away from them. Frustrated, he turned on the radio, figuring he could drown out Regina that way.

The Police came on singing "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic". Now _that_ was a fine song, he thought happily. He started to hum along with it, since he never sang unless he was in the shower, or alone in his car, where he would be sure no one could hear him. Mostly because he thought he had a terrible voice, though Alina had caught him singing Christmas carols once along with Rosemary Clooney when she had come home from school early and he thought he was alone in the house, as Alice had gone out shopping. She had assured him his voice was fine, but Rumple had thought she was just being kind.

Regina started to sing louder, and her shrill voice made his eardrums throb.

"Regina!" he snapped, feeling the migraine he was developing suddenly upscale a notch. "Stop singing that blasted song and just . . . listen to the music."

"But I wanna sing! Your music is boring!"

"I don't care. Now hush!" he half-growled, wondering why it was that she always chose to give him a hard time.

She gave him a patented regal scowl—at least that's what Henry called it when she got in one of her moods and glared at someone as if she wanted to curse them.

Then she started singing a song she had heard Hans and some of his friends singing one day while leaving school. "Great green globs of greasy grimy golpher _guts!_ Mutilated monkey meat! Little birdie's smelly feet! French fried eyeballs floating in a frying pan—and I forgot my spoon! So gimme a scab sandwich with pus on top, monkey vomit and camel snot, elephant eyeballs, rotten eggs too—eat it, Unca Rumple—it's good for you!"

By the time she was done with that annoying song, Rumple was tempted to gag her with his tie, and Belle, who had been sitting with her eyes closed the whole time, trying to ignore her queasy stomach, was close to vomiting for real after listening to that list of disgusting things.

Rumple slapped his hand down on the dashboard. "Knock it off, right now!" he snarled. "Before I—"

He never got to finish saying what he would do, because Belle moaned pathetically and interrupted, "Rumple . . . you need to pull over . . . _now._ "

"What's wrong, dearie?" He turned to look at her.

Belle's blue eyes were limpid in her pale face, which had a greenish tinge to it all of a sudden. "I . . . err . . ." She swallowed convulsively, and shot him a desperate pleading look.

Rumple recognized _that_ look. "Aww, hell! Hang on, Belle." He began looking for a way to get over to the side of the road, but traffic was heavy on the road and he couldn't get over right away.

If only he had his magic! He could have just touched his wife and willed her nausea to go away . . . or conjured a bucket for her to be sick in. He put on his signal light and waited for an opening so he could move over.

Belle sat still in the seat, whimpering slightly, trying to do anything but think about how much her stomach was churning and she needed to throw up. She couldn't throw up all over the car . . . well, she _could_ . . . Rumple would understand, she couldn't help it . . .but the last thing she wanted was to throw up like a baby in front of Regina . . . though her stomach was quickly making any decision a moot point.

Rumple swore under his breath . . . and finally pulled over to the side of the road. Regrettably, there wasn't any gas station nearby for him to go to so Belle could be sick in private. "Okay, dearie," he said, braking.

Belle fumbled for the door handle and got out, barely making it two steps before she doubled over and was sick.

"Are we there yet?" Regina queried.

"No." Rumple answered, wincing at the awful sounds his wife was making.

"Then why are we stoppin'?"

"Because . . . Auntie Belle is sick. Now you stay here," Rumple ordered, getting out of the car and going to see if Belle needed help. "Belle . . ."

"Please, Rumple . . ." she groaned as her stomach heaved again. "Go away . . ."

He shook his head. "Sorry, dearie. I'm not leaving you like this," he insisted, and gently held her head. "In sickness and in health, remember?"

Belle wanted to snap at him, but found she lacked the strength to do so, as her queasy stomach robbed her of her power of speech, and embarrassed as she was, it felt oddly good to have Rumple there beside her, supporting her. His arm was warm around her waist, and his hands cupping her head were gentle yet firm, holding her hair from her face.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Belle straightened, reasonably sure she had finished, holding her tummy. "Rumple . . . I'm sorry . . . I . . . "

"Hey, there's nothing to apologize for, love. God knows, I've been where you are . . . and for worse reasons," he soothed. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and mopped her face. "Okay now?"

She nodded, and he helped her back to the car.

As he got back in the driver's seat, he saw Regina munching on something. "What are you eating, Regina?"

She looked at him then, her little face smeared with chocolate crumbs. "Cookies! Mommy packed me them."

Rumple looked at her in dismay. She was covered in cookie crumbs and chocolate and looked like a refugee from a preschool daycare snack time. "Okay, but only one more cookie."

"Aww! Unca Rumple! I'm hungry!" she whined aggravatingly.

He grabbed her sippy cup and handed it to her. "Drink this, and I'll stop at McDonalds for you on the way home."

"Yay! Happy Meal!" she sang. Then she took the sippy cup from him.

He had just pulled out onto the road when Regina cried, "Oh no! Unca Rumple! I . . . uh . . . had an accident."

He almost slammed into the car in front of him. " _What?"_ Visions of the toddler peeing all over his Cadillac flashed through his head.

"I spilled my juice," she elaborated. "Now I'm all wet."

"Oh, is that all?" he breathed a sigh of relief.

"And sticky!" she wailed, grimacing.

"All right, give me a second and we'll . . . uh . . . clean you up when we get to McDonalds."

The Golden Arches were just ahead and he pulled into the parking lot. "Belle, I need to take Regina into the bathroom to get changed and get her something to eat."

"I'll be okay, Rumple. I just . . . want to rest."

"Okay, sweetheart. Be right back." He grabbed Regina's carryon and Regina and headed into the McDonalds.

Luckily they had a family restroom, so Rumple didn't have to drag a whiny toddler into the men's room to change her. Once they were inside, he started to help her take off her fairy costume, which was sticky with purple grape juice.

He grabbed some towels and mopped her chest and tummy with them, setting the costume in the sink. "There, dearie. Let's get some dry clothes on you." As he knelt to rummage in the carryon, Regina started sniffling.

"My fairy costume's ruined!" she bawled. "It's all a wreck!"

He looked up at the distraught little girl and said, "Hey, don't cry. We'll wash it and it'll be good as new," he told her, thinking that if that didn't work he could always magic the stain out.

"R-really?"

"Really, dearie," he said quietly, and grabbed another paper towel. "Blow."

Regina did, coughing a little.

He wiped her face of the tears and held another towel to her nose. "Again. Good job." Then he pulled out a little T-shirt and a pair of pink pants. "Here. Let's wear your Ariel shirt, okay?"

He helped her into her clothes, putting the soiled costume in her bag and then washing his hands. "All right. Now let's get that Happy Meal. What do you want? Chicken nuggets or a cheeseburger?"

"Umm . . . cheeseburger!" Regina told him, taking his hand as they left the restroom. "An' Coke to drink."

"Right," he said, and went to get on line.

He ordered one cheeseburger Happy Meal and two honey mustard crispy chicken wraps, fries, and a diet Coke for himself.

Once the food was given to them, he led Regina over to a table so they could eat, since he didn't think Belle would appreciate McDonalds being in the car while she was sick. He opened the Happy Meal and gave Regina her food, making sure she had ketchup for her fries and the straw was seated firmly in her drink.

He had just bitten into his wrap when Regina looked at her Happy Meal toy and howled, "No! I don't want _her_!"

"Who?" Rumple queried.

"Maleficent!" Regina wailed. "She's bad! I don't want her, Unca Rumple!"

Rumple bit his lip. It was ironic, for Mal had been Regina's best friend when she was the Evil Queen and yet the sight of the bad fairy made her cry as a little child. "Uh . . . okay . . . maybe we can ask for a different one," he said.

She stopped crying then. "'Kay." Then she began to eat her cheeseburger.

Once they had eaten, Gold picked her up and went over to ask one of the workers if they could exchange the toy for a different one.

The teenage boy behind the counter looked at him and sneered, "You ain't allowed to do that."

"Look, it's a simple exchange," Gold bargained. "Please, my little girl is terrified of her. I'll pay you five dollars to swap this toy with another one. Like . . . Sleeping Beauty or . . . or . . . one of the fairy godmothers."

"Mister, I said you can't—"

"Jerry, for God's sake!" said a tall redhaired girl. "Just give him a new toy. Don't be a jerk, we've got plenty of others." She snatched a bunch of plastic wrapped toys from beneath the counter. "Here, sir. Pick which one you want."

"Regina, look. You can trade Mal for one of these," Rumple told her. There was Phillip, Aurora, a dragon, a rabbit, and a castle, but no fairy godmothers. Rumple thanked God for small favors.

Regina examined all the toys before her. "Want Rory," she said, pointing to Aurora.

"There you go," the girl said, smiling at her. "Gosh, she's a cutie. You're gonna have to beat the boys away with a stick when she's old enough to date."

"Either that or lock her in her room until she's eighty," Rumple chuckled. "Thank you."

"No problem," the girl said, and waved as he turned with Regina to leave. "Aww man! Why are all the hot guys married with children?" she sighed enviously.

"Hot guy? He's like old enough to be your father, Mitzie!" commented Jerry.

"So? I like older guys," the girl said, watching in longing as Rumple left. "He's hot, he's rich, and he's good with kids. What more could a girl want?"

"Somebody who ain't gonna croak the first time they go to bed together," sneered the boy.

"Please, Jerry! You make me sick," she muttered, then turned away to get a milkshake, fantasizing about the man in the Armani suit with a toddler on his hip. It was too bad fairy tales weren't real, she thought.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

The rest of the drive home was uneventful, and as they passed the sign that said Entering Storybrooke, Rumple felt the cold tingle of magic wash over him as they drove past. Home sweet home! He thought happily, and smiled at his small niece and Belle, who was dozing.

"Are we there yet?" Regina asked.

"Soon, dearie."

He drove down Main Street, past his shop and Archie's office.

"Are we there yet?"

"Almost."

"Are we there yet?"

"Regina, _why_ do you keep asking me that?"

"'Cause I don't like the answer," she replied honestly.

"Wait a few minutes and you will," he told her, and then he turned down his street and pulled into his driveway.

"Are we there yet?"

"Yes, little imp. We're home," he answered.

"Yay!" Regina cheered.

**Page~*~*~*~*~Break**

_A few days later:_

Alice had invited the whole family over to her house for a welcome home dinner, which all of them happily accepted, eager to share their vacation moments with her family. And also the news that Belle was expecting.

They also had presents to give to Alice, Jeff, and Grace. Belle had gotten a cookbook for her best friend, with all kinds of recipes from famous New York restaurants, plus the notes she'd scribbled down from the dinner she'd had at Babbo's. Rumple had gotten Jeff a new hat . . . a signed Yankees ball cap he'd picked up at a memorabilia shop in upper Manhattan before they'd left. And Henry and Alina had gotten Grace a shirt of the Statue of Liberty that said _Freedom, Friendship, and Justice For All._

After a lovely dinner of king crab legs, peas with mushrooms, hot buttered biscuits, and a zesty orange salad, they all gathered in the den to show Alice, Jeff, and Grace the photo album Snow had made. She had picked one that looked like an old white leather and gold accented journal called Once Upon a Time In Manhattan. It was filled with pictures all of them had taken on their phones . . . and emailed to Snow so she could print them out and put them in the album.

There were plenty of pictures of Manhattan . . . and of the family visiting the various landmarks. Rumple had taken a picture of himself and Belle on their carriage ride in Central Park—he'd had their driver Joe take it when they'd stopped, and there was one of Black Beauty and one of Rumple holding the baby bootie and grinning joyfully as Belle announced her news.

"Whoa, buddy! That's great," Jeff said. "Now Regina over there will have a playmate," he said, indicating the toddler, who was petting Grace's bunny as Grace held him for her while Henry and Alina watched.

"Maybe we ought to have one of our own, hmm?" suggested Alice with a nudge.

"Uh . . . yeah, we'll see," her husband laughed. Then he turned the page and started laughing when he saw a shot of Snow and David dancing on the Dance Magic machine. "Looks like you two were having a good old time."

"Uh, yeah. We were playing some dance game," David chuckled.

"And I won!" Snow reminded him.

Alice turned the page . . . and beheld a sleeping Rumple with a blue icebag over his head. "What's this? Headache, Rumple?"

"Uh . . . yes. Now who took that of me?"

Emma smirked. "I did. Because you were just too . . . cute the morning after, Rumple."

He shook a finger at her. "Don't try to butter me up, girl."

" _You_ were drunk, Mr. G?" Alice asked, then she burst out laughing. "That's never happened, not in all the years I've known you."

"It happened on the plane," he grumbled. "It was unintentional."

"But funny as hell," Bae said. "He was singing Danny Boy in JFK."

"Did anybody record it?" Alice hooted.

"No, thank God," Rumple muttered, flushing.

There were several pictures of the children, including Regina in her fairy costume . . . and Rumple in his at FAO Schwartz.

" _What_ is that?" he goggled at the picture of himself wearing those awful wings and the tiara and the wand.

"It's _Fairy Couture With Mr. Gold_ ," David said. "We all took pictures of you in the toy store while you were shepherding Regina around."

"Not only that but some little kid who saw you thought you were gay," Bae reported, cracking up. "I almost wet myself right there when I heard that."

There were several other pictures of him and Regina in the toy store, affectionately called "Rumpleshots."

Jeff and Alice were hysterical.

"You mean while she was driving me nuts, you were all laughing behind my back," Rumple said, pretending to be insulted.

"Uh, well . . . it was funny," Snow said. Then she turned the page and gasped, for there was a picture in there she hadn't seen . . . of her and David kissing after their dinner date. "Rumple! _You_ took this!"

"Surprise, dearie. You aren't the only one with a hidden camera."

"Aww, that's sweet!" Alice said. Then she turned another page . . . and saw Bae and Emma together in front of the door to their room.

"Hey! When did you take that?" Bae cried.

"Watching you two trying to open a door drunk," Rumple said gleefully. "Fifty times."

"Aww, come _on_ , Rumple!" Emma groaned.

"Payback, dearie, for my hangover pictures," Rumple snickered.

There were several pictures of the children, New York harbor, the Statue, and the family in Little Italy and Chinatown. There were also photos of the Museum of Natural History, the T-Rex Regina had brought to life with her stolen wand (which had been returned to the nuns with an apology), and many of Regina, Belle, and Rumple with Beauty and the Beast from the Broadway Show.

Alice and Jeff laughed themselves to pieces over several of Regina's comments and Snow admitted that at one point she'd gotten on the same car of the subway three times in a row because she'd gotten confused and ended up going around in circles.

"That's my wife. Can't read a map and won't ask for directions," David chuckled.

"Who was I going to ask directions from? Nobody was available who was driving the subway," Snow objected.

Then Bae shared the story of their flight home . . . and his impromptu video.

Alice nearly wet herself. "I believe in fairies, Mr. G!"

"Baelfire!" Rumple scowled. "How could you?"

"It was priceless, Papa," his son said, his eyes shining mischievously. He flipped the page and then gasped. "Oh my God! Who took _that_?"

It was a picture of himself and Emma, curled up together on the recliner, with Emma in his lap, asleep and he was asleep . . . and drooling on her shoulder.

"Never could break you of that nasty habit, son," Rumple said triumphantly.

His son glared at him. "Sneaky, Papa!"

"All's fair in love, war, and family photos, dearie," Rumple returned, unrepentant.

"So what did you like best about Manhattan?" Alice wanted to know.

"Well, the food was phenomenal," Snow said.

"The scenery was incredible," Bae answered.

"I never laughed so hard in my life," Emma admitted.

"I loved the way history twined with culture," David said.

"The best part for me was seeing the expression on Rumple's face when I told him he was going to be a papa again," Belle smiled.

"For me it was all the time I got to spend with my family," Rumple told them. "We all had the time of our lives."

"I'm thinking we need to do a vacation next, Jeff," Alice mused.

"Yeah, maybe we should. Just don't know where yet," he agreed.

"How about Hawaii? The sun, sand, coconuts, and my hot and sassy husband," Alice purred. "And watching Grace snorkel."

"I wouldn't mind that," Jeff said. Then he looked at the Golds. "So . . . when's the next vacation?"

"Not for awhile yet," Charming said. "But maybe next summer . . . Orlando."

" _Disney World_?" Rumple gasped. "You've got to be kidding. I'll have a brand new baby."

"Who can be brand new to the Magic Kingdom, Papa," argued Bae.

"No. Oh, no. Regina running loose in Cinderella's castle?" Gold shook his head. "Then I'll really need to schedule an appointment with Archie."

"Aww, come on, Gold. It'll be fun," Charming urged.

"Maybe for you, David. I don't even want to think about Florida now. Right now I just want to get through the upcoming holidays. Like Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas," Rumple said.

"The next great adventure," Henry said, grinning.

Because in this family, you never knew what was going to happen next, only that its members would always find each other, always fight for each other, and always make their own happy ending.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I shall be posting the little sequel for this soon--Baby Regal/Gold's Regina's Golden Halloween . . .hope you all like and thanks very much for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Okay, who thought poor Rumple was going to lose it here? And who remembers that familiar "don't make me pull this car over?" from their childhood? (raises hand—I do! And so do all my siblings, LOL!) Hope you all liked! And thanks so much for your kind reviews on GS, dearies!


End file.
